,,iv  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #icg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,april #bb1         
#bjbj,ms4 ,kaptur 7for herself and ,mr4 
,fortenberry7 submitted the following   
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,agriculture  ,,resolution
  ,recognizing the important role       
,victory ,gardens played in ,america's  
,world ,war efforts and reaffirming     
their purpose as essential to           
strengthening food security1 health     
education1 and community morale during  
the #bjbj ,coronavirus disease          
7,,covid-#ai7 crisis4  ,whereas during  
,world ,war ,i and ,world ,war ,,ii1 the
 ,victory ,garden campaign called on    
,americans to plant vegetable1 fruit1   
and herb gardens in whatever space they 
had available to implement a valuable   
and self-sufficient means to prevent    
potential food shortages2 ,whereas so   
many patriotic ,americans participated  
in the movement during ,,wwii1 it is    
estimated that home1 school1 and        

community gardeners produced close to   
#dj percent of the ,nation's fresh      
vegetables from #bj million gardens2    
,whereas the forces at work in the      
global ,coronavirus pandemic disrupt    
global food supply chains and leave     
,american consumers vulnerable1 many    
individuals are hindered from accessing 
even local food resources such as       
farmers' markets1 ,state fairs1 and     
other community supported agriculture1  
due to social distancing guidelines2    
,whereas ,americans have been asked to  
follow social distancing guidelines and 
shelter in their homes to flatten the   
curve in the ,,covid-#ai crisis2        
,whereas many will find the extra time  
at home provides a ripe opportunity for 
engagement in gardening as a hobby1 as a
 food source1 and as a means to promote 
stable physical and mental health2      
,whereas existing community gardens are 
investments in neighborhood             
revitalization1 provide local sources of
 produce1 and most importantly help     

restore fresh foods to underserved food 
desert communities1 while inspiring and 
teaching children to gain a tangible    
appreciation for the power of nature to 
sustain life and improve health outcomes
 through gardening2 ,whereas spring     
#bjbj has already seen significant      
increased demand at garden stores1      
centers1 and suppliers2 ,whereas        
supporting the growth of healthy and    
fresh fruits1 vegetables1 and herbs at  
home1 through our education systems1 in 
community gardens1 and through all      
health care providers can play a        
fundamental role to amplify the benefits
 of healthy food options as nature's    
best medicine and help citizens improve 
overall health1 ultimately reducing     
cases of type #b diabetes1 hypertension1
 heart disease1 and pulmonary diseases  
each of which has an increased mortality
 rate among ,,covid-#ai patients2       
,whereas increased access to local      
healthy food options builds resiliency  
in individuals and communities2 and     

,whereas promoting ,victory ,gardens can
 improve citizen morale during this     
harrowing global experience by rallying 
citizens to a healthy1 productive1 and  
patriotic activity which can benefit    
whole communities3 ,now1 therefore1 be  
it ,that the ,house of                  
,representatives-- 7#a7 recognizes the  
importance of the health consciousness1 
food security1 and community morale that
 is spurred by planting of ,victory     
,gardens2 and  7#b7 recognizes that the 
,secretary of ,agriculture should       
collaborate with the ,house of          
,representatives-- 7,a7 to encourage    
citizens to plant ,victory ,gardens for 
the benefit of their families1          
communities1 and country2 and  7,b7 to  
supply seeds1 preserving materials1 and 
manuals to help citizens grow and       
preserve crops from their ,victory      
,gardens during the ,,covid-#ai crisis4