[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 402 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 402

Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to the 50th anniversary 
   of the food aid programs established under the Agricultural Trade 
                Development and Assistance Act of 1954.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              July 9, 2004

  Mr. Harkin (for himself, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Daschle, Mr. 
    Crapo, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Leahy, Mrs. 
 Lincoln, Mr. Kohl, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Lugar, 
     and Mr. Dayton) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to the 50th anniversary 
   of the food aid programs established under the Agricultural Trade 
                Development and Assistance Act of 1954.

Whereas, in the aftermath of the Second World War, many countries did not have 
        sufficient cash to buy the agricultural commodities needed to feed the 
        people of those countries, especially in war-torn Europe and Asia;
Whereas, during the term of President Dwight David Eisenhower, it became 
        apparent that the abundance of food available in the United States could 
        be used as an instrument in building a durable peace after the Second 
        World War;
Whereas a concessional credit program was established under title I of the 
        Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (commonly 
        known as ``P.L. 480'') (7 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), signed into law on July 
        10, 1954, to allow for sales of agricultural commodities from the United 
        States to developing countries for dollars on generous credit terms or 
        for local currencies, with proceeds to be used by participating 
        governments or nongovernmental private entities to encourage economic 
        development;
Whereas since the enactment of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance 
        Act of 1954, the title I program has facilitated sales of agricultural 
        commodities from the United States, totaling an estimated 
        $30,000,000,000 to nearly 100 countries;
Whereas the Food for Peace program was established under title II of the 
        Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1721 
        et seq.), to provide humanitarian assistance to poor and hungry people 
        in developing countries, based on legislation originally introduced by 
        Senator Hubert Humphrey;
Whereas during the half-century since the establishment of the Food for Peace 
        program, the United States Agency for International Development and the 
        Department of Agriculture have worked together to provide 107,000,000 
        tons of food aid to developing countries, helping an estimated 
        3,400,000,000 people through 2003;
Whereas the Government of the United States has depended on the commitment, 
        skill, and experience of dozens of private voluntary organizations based 
        in the United States, as well as the United Nations World Food Program, 
        to carry out the Food for Peace program on the ground in developing 
        countries; and
Whereas a number of countries that were early beneficiaries of both programs 
        have emerged as democracies and strong commercial trading partners, 
        including South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, 
        Singapore, Mexico, and Turkey, in part as a result of development 
        projects and food distribution programs conducted using agricultural 
        commodities from the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) on the 50th anniversary of the date of enactment of the 
        Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 
        U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) on July 10, 1954, recognizes the United 
        States Agency for International Development, the Department of 
        Agriculture, and associated partners for--
                    (A) providing emergency food assistance to address 
                famine or other extraordinary relief requirements;
                    (B) forging linkages between the abundance of food 
                produced under the agricultural system of the United 
                States and people in need of assistance throughout the 
                world;
                    (C) undertaking activities to alleviate hunger;
                    (D) promoting economic, agricultural, educational, 
                and community development in developing countries;
                    (E) identifying the private partners capable of 
                carrying out the mission of the programs established 
                under that Act;
                    (F) implementing procedures governing the use and 
                evaluation of the programs and funds; and
                    (G) overseeing the use of taxpayers dollars to 
                carry out the programs; and
            (2) declares that July 10, 2004, is a day that recognizes--
                    (A) the 50th anniversary of the establishment of 
                the concessional credit program and the Food for Peace 
                program under the Agricultural Trade and Development 
                Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.); and
                    (B) the accomplishments of the United States Agency 
                for International Development, the Department of 
                Agriculture, and associated private voluntary 
                organization and nongovernmental organization partners 
                in alleviating hunger and poverty, bolstering 
                development, and restoring hope around the world.
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