It’s official: the Global Food Security Act (GFSA), a key piece of legislation to fight hunger and strengthen food security, is about to become law.  This exciting news represents the result of years of work by Congress and the food security community, and is a significant step forward to ensure greater food security for many people around the globe.

The House of Representatives voted on July 6th by a margin of 369-53 to approve the GFSA. The bill will now be sent to President Obama for his signature.  This is outstanding news for many nutrition and food security organizations including Action Against Hunger who have advocated for the bill’s passage for years, and for millions of hungry people around the world who will benefit from the GFSA.

Around the world, approximately 795 million people suffer from hunger.  While progress has been made in recent years to reduce this number, we still have a long way to go to ensure food security for all.

The Global Food Security Act strengthens efforts to combat hunger by calling for a comprehensive global food and nutrition security strategy which would permanently authorize the work being done by Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s food security initiative currently operating in 19 focus countries around the globe.  The Feed the Future initiative was launched in 2010, but it hasn’t yet been formally put into law. 

The Senate and House of Representatives had both approved the GFSA this spring by wide margins, but there were minor differences between the two versions of the bill.  As a result, the House of Representatives voted a second time to approve the Senate measure. 

Now, the GFSA will be signed into law by President Obama, which will ensure that Feed the Future’s efforts to enhance food security will continue under subsequent administrations after his term in office ends in 2017.

Action Against Hunger would like to thank members of both the House and Senate for their strong votes in support of the Global Food Security Act, and to particularly thank the bill’s lead sponsors, Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Betty McCollum (D-MN), and Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Robert Casey (D-PA), for their outstanding leadership.  We look forward to seeing President Obama sign the GFSA into law and make improved food security a reality for many in the world who still suffer from hunger.