238. Letter From Senator Hubert Humphrey to President Carter 1
This fall both Houses of Congress passed resolutions asking you to appoint a commission to explore initiatives through which the United States can combat hunger and malnutrition in the world.2 I was among the original co-sponsors of the Senate resolution because I believe such [Page 766] a commission would provide a unique opportunity to mobilize the nation to support efforts that can substantially improve the nutritional well-being of citizens of the United States and the world.
Too often in the past, public interest in hunger and malnutrition has been aroused spasmodically, largely in times of famine, and there has been no attempt to build strong, sustained public interest in and support for, comprehensive food and nutrition policy undertakings. There is a wide and diverse constituency that will support thoughtful governmental action on food and nutrition, and a commission on hunger and malnutrition can help build that support.
I see such a commission undertaking two basic tasks. First, it would be a vehicle for public involvement and education. Through hearings across the country, people would have the opportunity to ask questions about our food and nutrition policy and present their ideas for improving it. In addition, the hearings would inform the public in a continuing way about the problems of hunger and malnutrition, at home and abroad.
Second, the commission would analyze general economic and agricultural trends in the developing world, particularly with respect to changes that will take place because of the rise in energy prices, and determine how our current policies will affect nutritional wellbeing in this changing context. It is imperative that this two-fold evaluation be done on a continuous basis if we are to avoid policies that do more harm than good, and if we are to establish a clear recognition of the connection between problems of food and nutrition in the United States and such problems abroad.
There is always the question of whether commissions are really useful. It has been my experience that the benefits of a commission are in direct proportion to the strength of its mandate, the quality of its membership, and the level of support it receives. May I also suggest that Dr. Jean Mayer, President of Tufts University, who organized the 1969 White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health, could be an excellent chairman.3
[Page 767]I understand your staff is exploring steps you might take to address hunger and malnutrition, and I think that the appointment of a commission would be an extremely important first step.4
Respectfully,
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P780008–1406. No classification marking. Another copy of Humphrey’s letter is in the Carter Library, RG 220, Presidential Commission on World Hunger, Linowitz’s Subject Files, Box 42, Members of the Commission [3].↩
- See footnote 3, Document 227.↩
- In May 1969, Nixon announced that his administration planned to devise solutions to the problem of domestic hunger and retool Federal hunger programs. He subsequently appointed Mayer his special consultant and tasked him with organizing various working groups and task forces in advance of the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health, held in Washington December 2–4, 1969. For additional information concerning the conference’s goals and outcomes, see White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health Final Report (Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, 1969). Carter later appointed Mayer to the Presidential Commission on World Hunger, whereupon Mayer assumed responsibilities as one of two vice chairmen.↩
- Bennet responded to Humphrey on December 23, noting that the President would receive an action memorandum “proposing possible United States initiatives” related to world hunger in the near future. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P780088–1402)↩