Today Post::community garden bill in congress

A bill to fund Community Gardens has been proposed in Congress. Here are a couple of letters that were forwarded to me.

Dear Gardener,
Please lend your support and encourage your congressional representatives (House and Senate) to support both of the bills referenced below. With over 150 active, vibrant community garden sites in Boston’s city limits (and over 200 in the metro area), please cite the important role community gardens play (providing fresh economical nutritious food, building community, recreation, green space, and more) for our
citizens!
Jo Ann Whitehead, Garden Educator, Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN)

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Hi folks - GREAT news!

Congress just introduced 2 Community Garden related measures. One is a bill (HR 3225 - The Community Gardens Act), which creates a grant program to fund community gardens. Another is a resolution (the text is here) praising community gardens. If you want to voice your support for these, shoot your representative an email and either thank them if they are already a co-sponsor (list below) or ask them to co-sponsor HR 3225.

Sponsor: Jay Inslee (D-WA) Cosponsors: Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU], Del. Donna Christensen [D-VI], Del. Eleanor Norton [D-DC], Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D-OR3], Rep. André Carson [D-IN7], Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D-MO5], Rep. John Conyers [D-MI14], Rep. Donna Edwards [D-MD4], Rep. Eliot Engel [D-NY17], Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ7], Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D-OH9], Rep. Barbara Lee [D-CA9], Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D-NY14], Rep. Doris Matsui [D-CA5], Rep. James McGovern [D-MA3], Rep. Dennis Moore [D-KS3]; Rep. James Moran [D-VA8], Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D-CA6]

Folks can read the bill (HR 3225) on the Library of Congress website

If people are interested in supporting the bill they can write their representative in the House and ask them to co-sponsor the bill. You can find your local representative here.

They can also write their senators and ask them to sponsor a companion bill in the Senate. John Kerry’s email, Edward Kennedy’s email.

Here’s a great site at Boston Natural Areas Network with Community Garden information!