Washington, DC, May 24, 2007 - A Catholic Relief Services (CRS) official today urged a House panel considering revisions to the Farm Bill to halt the recent practice of funding global food emergencies by diverting resources from long term developmental food aid that addresses chronic hunger and the underlying causes of that hunger.

CRS Chief of Staff Annemarie Reilly, testifying before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee, called on Congress to appropriate $2 billion annually for US food aid, a figure consistent with the American share of the global need over the past several years.

She also urged that at least half that figure be dedicated exclusively to developmental food aid -- in other words, to protect developmental food aid by putting it into a "safe box."

This would reverse a trend over the past several years in which food aid funds intended for long-term development have been tapped to fill the gap for emergencies. This threatens the viability of these important programs that improve the ability over time for hungry people to feed themselves.

"Catholic Relief Services and other private voluntary agencies support the US government's commitment to emergency response. But we should not help those suffering from acute hunger at the expense of the chronically hungry," Reilly said.

"By adopting these recommendations, you will enable Catholic Relief Services and other organizations to better promote food security, alleviate hunger and save lives," she said.

To read the entire testimony, click here: http://www.crs.org/about_us/newsroom/speeches_and_testimony/releases.cfm?ID=40

CONTACT: John Rivera Catholic Relief Services (410) 951-7399 (443) 604-2918 (cell) jrivera@crs.org

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency provides assistance to people in 98 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality or creed.