KMA Land - Young Backs Food Pantry Donation Bill

News Article

By Mike Peterson

Iowa Congressman David Young wants to make it easier for individuals to donate to local food banks.

The 3rd District representative is among the supporters of H.R. 644, the Fighting Hunger Incentive Act of 2015. The proposal would allow deductions of food inventory donations of up to 15% of the donating organization's net income. Young tells KMA News the bill is designed to boost donations to local food pantries, by making permanent a food inventory donation provision in the tax code.

"Hunger is not an issue that when you turn the T.V. on, it's happening on another continent or overseas," said Young. "We have families and individuals whose bellies are empty--sometimes for days. They're looking for a meal. There's hunger in rural America, as well as the urban areas. This would give incentives for people to give more to food pantries."

The Van Meter Republican says you never know who seeks help from local pantries.

"You know, these people are our neighbors," he said. "Maybe they're our family members, and maybe they're done the street. But, they need a meal sometimes. And, sometimes they're very, very shy, maybe very ashamed to admit that they're hungry. But, this would help our food pantries, our churches, our synagogues, non-charitable groups. We need to make sure we're feeding our own."

The bill passed this week on a mostly party line vote in the U.S. House, 279-to-137. Young and fellow Iowa Republicans Steve King and Rod Blum, as well as Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and northwest Missouri Congressman Sam Graves, voted in favor of the bill. Democrats Dave Loebsack of Iowa and Brad Ashford of Nebraska also voted in favor. (In previous versions, we erroneously reported they had voted against it. We apologize for the error).

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