The National Restaurant Association presented its first annual Congressional Leadership Award to U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) in recognition of their efforts to fight hunger in the U.S. and around the world. The lawmakers were recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

“As champions of hunger-relief efforts, Senators Leahy, Lugar, and Lincoln have demonstrated critical leadership on this issue—one that is of great importance to the restaurant industry,” says National Restaurant Association president and CEO Dawn Sweeney. “We are pleased to honor their work to alleviate hunger by presenting them with the inaugural Congressional Leadership Award.”

Senators Lugar, Leahy, and Lincoln are the founding members of the Senate Hunger Caucus, a group seeking bipartisan solutions to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to their work with the Caucus, they are also sponsors of the Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Extension Act, a bill that would advocate for the 36 million Americans at risk of hunger, and help more restaurants take advantage of a tax deduction for food donations and reduce food waste.

The National Restaurant Association created the Congressional Leadership Award to recognize members of Congress who advocate on behalf of important restaurant industry causes and support legislation that help the industry to sustain its role as a job creator, a career training ground, and a cornerstone of the community.