A bipartisan bill endorsed by U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, the Napa Democrat who represents Benicia in the House, would allow hunters who donate their wild game meats to record them as charitable donations.

The bill, House of Representatives 462 or the Wild Game Donation Act of 2015, would let hunters give processed deer, moose and other wild game meats to food-based charities, which Thompson called another step in combatting chronic hunger.

The hunters then could deduct from their taxes the associated costs, he said.

H.R. 461 requires all animals be killed in accordance with state and local laws and by the individual making the charitable contribution, he said.

Joining Thompson in sponsoring the bill are U.S. Reps. Don Young, R-Alaska, Ann Kuster, D-N.H., and Mike Kelly, R-Penn.

The bill has received widespread support by hunter advocates and wildlife conservation groups alike, Thompson said. Among those organizations are Feeding America, Safari Club International, the National Rifle Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.

Thompson said the Wild Game Donation Act would help food banks across the nation provide food to less fortunate people.

He said many food banks “struggle to keep up with the increasing demand for food by encouraging hunters to do their part and donate their wild game meat to help feed the hungry.”

Citing the most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture numbers, Thompson said 49 million people live in households that don’t have a secure source of food.

“Last year alone, one in seven Americans, roughly 46 million, required assistance from food banks,” he said, explaining that the figure includes at least 12 million children and seven million older people.

The other sponsors had their own stories about the need to feed the hungry.

“With the abundance of natural resources in my home state of Alaska, it’s truly disappointing to know people — especially children — still go hungry,” Young said. “From the panhandle to the North Slope, more than 100,000 Alaskans don’t know where their next meal will come from.”

“In New Hampshire, many of our local hunters are already setting an example by taking part in a similar program, so I was proud to partner with Rep. Don Young to introduce this bill, in the hopes that it will encourage more hunters from across the country to consider donating game to help feed hungry families in their local communities,” Kuster said.

“This common-sense legislation is anti-hunger, pro-hunter, and pro-helping Americans,” Kelly said. “Right now, there are more than 46 million Americans relying on food banks each year, including 1.8 million Pennsylvanians, along with an ever-increasing demand for food by food-based charities.”

He said many hunters would be willing to donate their game to those in need. “After all, hunting for food is as old an American tradition as helping our fellow citizens,” Kelly said. “It just makes sense to encourage those who hunt to help those who hunger and to make it as safe and easy as possible.”

“This important, bipartisan legislation will help increase the amount of meat donated by hunters to charities, putting food on the plates of millions of Americans,” Thompson said. “As a longtime sportsman, I am proud to support this bill with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle.”

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