Last modified: Wednesday, May 9, 2007 8:32 AM EDT Washington on $3 a day? Congressman will try it BY SUN CHRONICLE STAFF When U.S. Rep. James McGovern attends a banquet at the Mayflower Hotel Tuesday, he will be eating from a bag lunch while other guest are enjoying the food at one of Washington's most famous establishments. And when he attends a reception for Sen. Hillary Clinton later in the week, he will be drinking tap water while others enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. McGovern, D-Worcester, will be on a subsistence diet all next week as he and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson attempt to live on $3 a day for food. The lawmakers say they will be trying to make ends meet to demonstrate what they contend is insufficient aid poor families receive in the form of food stamps. The minimum benefit from food stamps is $10 a month, McGovern said. He and Emerson, R-Mo., will be living on the average benefit of $21 a week, or $3 a day. "This is more than a gimmick," McGovern said. "This is an attempt to ignite a discussion or a debate." He said the food stamp benefit has remained level, while the cost of food has increased dramatically. "The purchasing power of the benefit has slowly eroded over the years," he said. McGovern said opponents of raising the benefit counter that food stamps are supposed to supplement food purchases, and are not intended to be the sole source of food money for the poor. But McGovern said the cost of gasoline, medicine and everything else has gone up, leaving those in need in the position of making a choice of what necessities they will purchase. He said hunger is growing in the United States and is spreading into the working class. "These are people who work hard for a living," he said. McGovern and Emerson co-chair the hunger caucus in the House. They have filed a bill to raise spending on all nutrition programs by $20 billion over five years. The bill would raise the asset level for eligibility for food stamps and improve the benefit. It also would authorize more outreach to poor families. The government estimates that only 60 percent of eligible families nationwide and 49 percent in Massachusetts apply for food stamps. The issue is coming up for debate in Congress as it considers reauthorizing the Farm Bill. Meanwhile, McGovern anticipates being one hungry congressman next week. He will go shopping Monday to buy his $21 worth of food for the week. Between Tuesday and May 21, he will not be able to drink the office coffee, accept handouts at receptions or eat anything he had not purchased with his $21. JIM HAND covers politics for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0399 or at jhand@thesunchronicle.com.