Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Vice President Al Gore



                                              Release No. 0322.97
Remarks 

       as Prepared for Delivery by Vice President Al Gore
                     Gleaning Announcement
                       September 15, 1997
                                

     The last 4 years have seen an American economy that is roaring into 
prosperity. Thirteen million new jobs.  Unemployment below 5%.  The longest 
period of sustained growth in a generation.  A higher standard of living.  A 
rising tide of success that is beginning to lift all boats.

     But we can never forget that all is not right with America.  Tonight
in America -- the land of plenty -- parents will whisper, trying not to wake
the children, and struggle to figure out how to make ends meet, how to get
food on the table.  

     And in another room, their children will be trying to fall asleep and
trying to ignore the sore pain of hunger.  Those of us who are parents feel
their pain in our own hearts.  Those of us who are Americans feel their pain
in our nation,s spirit.

     We are here to today to try to ease some of that pain -- to join
together in the fight against hunger.  As you all know, this is the
first-ever national summit on food recovery.  We have come together here in
Washington and -- by satellite -- in over 50 locations around the nation. 
We stand united in our commitment to end this blight on our nation,s soul. 
And I hope you leave here reenergized to go out and do the Lord,s work in
your communities.

     For the first time, we will be fighting hunger with a fuller picture
of the problem itself.   Today, our Administration is releasing the first
ever baseline study of the scope of hunger in America.  For the first time,
we know where we are and we know where we have to go.  But I truly wish this
report had better news.  The study tells us that -- in America, at the dawn
of the 21st century -- about 12 million households a year experience food
insecurity.  And this figure does not even count the homeless population. 
It is an appalling figure -- and we as a nation must do more to end the
human tragedy of hunger.

     The first thing we must do is stand steadfast in our commitment to
maintaining a strong federal safety net.  

     We cannot stand by and let people in this nation starve.  This is an
area where government has a critical role to play.  Yet it is also a problem
that government cannot solve alone.  We each have a responsibility to look
out for our neighbor who is suffering -- and that's a lesson as old as the
Bible itself.  It says in the Scripture: "When you reap the harvest of your
land, you shall not . . . gather the gleanings after your harvest; you shall
leave them for the poor and for the stranger."

     The fact is, we have enough food in America to feed all those who are 
hungry.  More than one-quarter of all food in America is wasted.  Each year, 
we waste 96 billion pounds of food.  But we have to make sure that this
extra food ends up not in the dumpster but in the mouths of those who need
it.  

     That,s why it is so important that this summit set a concrete goal. 
If we meet this goal of increasing food recovery by a one-third by the year
2000, we will be able to feed 450,000 more people each and every day.  That
will have a huge impact on the problem.  It won,t be easy, but with hard
work and dedication I know we can do it.

     Secretary Glickman has already announced some of the steps we are
taking to reach our goal.  Now, I am pleased to be able to announce another
major step forward.  Over the next 18 months, our Department of Defense will
be providing more than $10 million worth of excess rations to gleaning
programs around the nation.  

     Let,s give a hand to the brave servicemen and women around America who
will help us win the war against hunger.

                                #

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