A Resolution establishing a legislative Hunger Task Force to study and make findings and recommendations for alleviating hunger, addressing food insecurity and increasing access to healthy food in this Commonwealth.

PRINTER'S NO. 2526
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 357
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY A. BROWN, GUZMAN, HILL-EVANS, FREEMAN, KHAN,
MERSKI, WAXMAN, VENKAT, KENYATTA, PIELLI, POWELL, HOWARD,
CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, NEILSON, GALLAGHER, SANCHEZ, CIRESI,
K.HARRIS, HAMM, KAUFFMAN, JAMES, E. NELSON, MAYES,
SCHLOSSBERG, HOHENSTEIN, HANBIDGE, RIVERA, BOROWSKI AND
WARREN, OCTOBER 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, OCTOBER 27, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Establishing a legislative Hunger Task Force to study and make
findings and recommendations for alleviating hunger,
addressing food insecurity and increasing access to healthy
food in this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Agriculture defines
food insecurity as the lack of access, at times, to enough food
for an active, healthy life; and
WHEREAS, Food insecurity is linked to a multitude of factors
such as household income and expenses, access to affordable
health care and social and physical environments; and
WHEREAS, While Federal income-based assistance programs such
as SNAP and WIC provide an important safety net for low-income
individuals and families, more than 41% of Pennsylvanians who
experience food insecurity are above the income thresholds to
qualify for those programs; and
WHEREAS, Moreover, a majority of people facing hunger live
above the Federal poverty line; and
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WHEREAS, More than 1,710,400, or one in eight, Pennsylvanians
experienced food insecurity in 2023; and
WHEREAS, Children are particularly impacted as the number of
children in Pennsylvania who were facing hunger increased by
14.6% from 2022 to 2023; and
WHEREAS, With 475,000 children in Pennsylvania facing hunger
in 2023, Pennsylvania became the seventh leading state in
childhood food insecurity; and
WHEREAS, People with disabilities, people living in rural
areas and people of color are disproportionately impacted by
food insecurity; and
WHEREAS, Chronic hunger places individuals at an increased
risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes,
hypertension, kidney disease and colorectal cancer; and
WHEREAS, Food insecurity affects families' economic stability
and children's ability to learn and grow; and
WHEREAS, Food insecurity is a complex but acute problem that
calls for multifaceted and collaborative solutions; therefore be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives establish a
legislative Hunger Task Force to study and make findings and
recommendations for alleviating hunger, addressing food
insecurity and increasing access to healthy food in this
Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the findings and recommendations of the task
force may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Relevant data:
(i) considering the history of food insecurity and
food access in this Commonwealth, including prior
governmental and nongovernmental efforts to alleviate
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hunger, address food insecurity and increase access to
healthy food;
(ii) evaluating the current state of food insecurity
and food access in this Commonwealth; and
(iii) examining other governments' efforts to reduce
hunger, address food insecurity and increase access to
healthy food.
(2) Legislation or other legislative action or
regulatory action to further the goals of alleviating hunger,
addressing food insecurity and increasing access to healthy
food in this Commonwealth;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the task force consist of two members of the
Senate, including one member from the majority party of the
Senate and one member from the minority party of the Senate and
five members of the House of Representatives, including three
members from the majority party of the House of Representatives
and two members from the minority party of the House of
Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives
appoint the chair of the task force from among the members of
the task force; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the expenses of the task force be paid by the
Chief Clerk from appropriation accounts under the Chief Clerk's
exclusive control and jurisdiction upon a written request
approved by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
Majority Leader of the House of Representatives or the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the task force submit a final report to the
Senate and the House of Representatives with its findings and
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recommendations, which shall be made available to the public.
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