For Immediate Release: May 14, 2008

Congresswoman Sutton Supports Final Passage of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act

Food, Conservation, and Energy Act Improves Domestic Food Assistance Programs, Aid for Food Banks, and Includes Rep. Sutton’s Dog Fighting Provisions

Today, Congresswoman Betty Sutton voted in favor of the conference report for H.R. 2419, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, which passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 318 to 106. As hardworking American families are faced with rising food costs and a hunger crisis, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act makes numerous improvements in domestic food assistance programs to help American families put food on the table.

"The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act will strengthen American agriculture to meet the 21st Century needs of the United States with a safe and stable food supply," said Sutton. "I certainly hope President Bush will resist his impulse to veto this bi-partisan bill, which will provide a life-line to so many families in need."


"Earlier this year, I sent a letter urging quick action on the conference report for this bill," said Sutton. "Chairman Peterson responded by smoothing out the differences between the House and Senate versions, and prepared a bill that will provide relief for the record numbers of Americans who have unfortunately found themselves forced to turn to food pantries and hunger centers. The bill provides $50 million to immediately address shortages at food pantries and provides increased funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides assistance to help stock food banks and homeless shelters."


Nearly three-fourths of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act funding goes to nutrition programs aimed at making healthy food affordable, while also updating the Food Stamp Program to reflect technological advances and decrease abuse and fraud.


The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act also contains provisions from the Dog Fighting Prohibition Act, H.R. 3219, that Congresswoman Sutton introduced last year. The provisions strengthen federal animal fighting laws by making it a crime to knowingly possess or train animals for fighting, enhancing the penalty for animal fighting offenses from a potential three-year prison sentence to a maximum five-year prison sentence, and making any animal fighting affecting interstate commerce or foreign commerce a federal crime.


"I am pleased that this Democratic Congress is continuing to crack down on the horrific practice of dog fighting," said Sutton. "Legislation I introduced last year that has been included in this bill will close loopholes in current animal welfare laws to enable police and prosecutors to help eliminate what has become a malicious and lucrative gambling business."


In addition, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act takes another critical step in transitioning biofuels beyond corn by reducing the current tax credit for corn-based ethanol and creating a new tax credit to promote the production of cellulosic biofuels. This bill invests $1 billion in renewable energy focusing on new technologies and creates a new program to encourage the production of new biomass for cellulosic ethanol and other renewable energy initiatives.

Contact: Adri Jayaratne at 202-225-3401