[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5171 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5171

To amend the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 
to require nutrient fortification of agricultural commodities provided 
                         for feeding programs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 4, 1994

Mr. Penny introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to 
           the Committees on Agriculture and Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 
to require nutrient fortification of agricultural commodities provided 
                         for feeding programs.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 101. MICRONUTRIENT FORTIFICATION.

    Section 202 of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance 
Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1722) is amended by adding the following new 
subsection:
    ``(h) Micronutrient Fortification.--
            ``(1) Processed foods.--The Administrator shall require 
        that processed foods provided under this title shall be 
        fortified with appropriate amounts of designated 
        micronutrients, including vitamin A and iron, as determined by 
        the Administrator pursuant to regulation.
            ``(2) Vegetable oil--The Administrator shall study the 
        feasibility and effectiveness of micronutrient fortification of 
        vegetable oil taking into account the stability of the added 
        micronutrients and the potential for their degradation in light 
        of the effects of transportation, handling, storage, and other 
        conditions associated with distribution under this title.
            ``(3) Other commodities.--The Administrator shall require 
        fortification of other commodities such as whole grains 
        provided under this title if and when the Administrator 
        determines that such fortification is economically and 
        logistically feasibile and has been tested and proven 
        effective.
            ``(4) Monitoring.--The Administrator shall carry out a 
        program to monitor the levels of micronutrients contained in 
        commodities provided under this title.
            ``(5) Regulations.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall by 
        regulation establish the appropriate minimum levels of certain 
        essential micronutrients, including vitamin A and iron, which 
        shall be required in agricultural commodities provided under 
        this title. The Administrator shall take into account the 
        bioavailability of such micronutrients, the feasibility of 
        fortification of commodities with such micronutrients, the 
        stability and potential degradation of added micronutrients in 
        light of the effects of transportation, handling, storage, and 
        distribution of the commodities, and the ultimate use for which 
        the commodities are intended. In general, the Administrator 
        shall assume that commodities provided under this title shall 
        be utilized only to supplement the diets of the recipients.''.

SEC. 102. IMPLEMENTATION OF FEEDING PROGRAMS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator, in implementing 
feeding programs under the Agricultural Trade Development and 
Assistance Act of 1954, should:
            (1) place more emphasis on assessing food aid needs in 
        designing direct feeding programs--
                    (A) to modify specific food aid commodities to 
                better suit program recipients (according to dietary 
                needs and cultural practices); and
                    (B) to modify feeding programs to better target the 
                most vulnerable groups (children, girls, and the 
                elderly); and
            (2) design programs that encourage in-country micronutrient 
        fortification so that structures are in place when food 
        assistance is withdrawn.

SEC. 103. REPORT.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Agriculture 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, 
Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, a report on the implementation 
of the provisions and amendments contained in this Act.
                                 <all>