50 years ago, President Richard Nixon catalyzed a national discourse on the escalating food insecurity crisis with the first White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health. He successfully urged Congress to action, inspiring them to build initiatives that are integral parts of the nation’s welfare system today.

The Biden administration is now set to host a similar forum, the first presidential initiative of its kind in half a century, against a much more daunting political landscape. The bipartisan spirit that helped Nixon’s initiatives come to fruition seems absent today, leaving Biden’s ambitious goal of eradicating U.S. hunger by 2030 facing significant obstacles in both the House and Senate.

Nixon’s firm conviction to quell hunger in 1969 saw him encouraging Congress to advance food assistance initiatives, expand food stamps, and enhance food accessibility for pregnant women and children. His commitment led him to support a $2.5 billion allocation (equivalent to $17.8 billion today) and propose a new government agency for its administration.

Nixon’s determined appeal garnered bipartisan support, with Congress responding positively by working with his administration to institute new eligibility standards for food stamps. The Food Stamp Program burgeoned fivefold during Nixon’s tenure, offering sustenance to millions. This bipartisan approach was carried forward under George W. Bush, who reinstated food stamp accessibility for America’s immigrant population, with continuous improvements seen in the now-renamed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Despite such efforts, the sheer number of Americans facing hunger or lacking access to nutritious food is troubling. COVID-19 escalated food insecurity, impacting an alarming 54 million people, disproportionately affecting households of color. While relief measures reduced hunger levels to record lows in 2021, the cessation of the child tax credit, the end of the COVID-19 stimulus, and inflation-driven food costs are spurring renewed food insecurity.

Biden’s decision to reinstate $1 billion per month of emergency relief to SNAP, overturning a Trump-era decision, was a crucial but insufficient step to comprehensively address hunger. SNAP assists over 42 million people annually, and when combined with the School Lunch Program, helped alleviate poverty for three million more in 2020. Yet, the current poverty threshold ($26,500 for a family of four in 2021) is considered unreasonably low, according to the Shared Humanity Project.

As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of bipartisan George McGovern-Robert Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, the prospect of our currently divided Congress setting aside differences for the common goal of food security seems slim. Yet, refusing to believe that this challenge is insurmountable is essential for the well-being of millions.

With modern statistics indicating that it is possible to solve the perennial problem of hunger in America, the primary obstacle seems to be the lack of bipartisan political will. Both sides of the aisle must rise to this occasion, echoing Nixon’s fervor and commitment, to finally conquer this longstanding challenge.