Yesterday ONE volunteers Pedro Moreno, Rick Rodgers, and I represented over 6,500 10th district ONE members at a meeting in Washington, D.C. with our elected representative, Frank Wolf. In April, ONE members of the district met with Congressman Wolf’s Appropriations Legislative Assistant, Elyse Anderson. The meeting went so well that we were invited to sit down with the congressman himself to continue our discussion on global poverty.

We discussed two important pieces of legislation with Congressman Wolf during our conversation. I asked the congressman for his support of the Global Food Security Act (H.R. 3077), a bill that would develop a food security strategy to help nearly a billion people throughout the world who lack access to sufficient food. Rick emphasized the need to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to reduce poverty and promote economic growth in developing countries. He asked that the congressman consider co-sponsoring the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act (H.R. 2139).

Congressman Wolf assured us that he would look into both bills and told us that he is supportive of ONE’s efforts. He has extensive experience in Africa and has been on leader on these issues for many years. We look forward to his continued leadership in the House and will report back on his response to our legislative asks. As ONE members, we must show our elected officials how many of their constituents support them in their efforts to fight poverty and preventable disease around the world. Scheduling a meeting with your representative is easy and so important – They need to hear from us – Act now.

-Kimberly Richer