[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 130 (Friday, September 25, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         SUPPORT FOR H.R. 4283, THE AFRICA: SEEDS OF HOPE BILL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 25, 1998

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to the attention of our 
colleagues a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman in 
support of H.R. 4283, the Africa: Seeds of Hope bill.
  Doug Bereuter and I introduced the bill on April 1, 1998. The bill 
currently has 103 co-sponsors. The purpose of the bill is two-fold. 
First, it supports sustainable agriculture development and food 
security in Sub-Saharan Africa. And, second, the bill enhances our 
ability to respond to humanitarian crises by replacing the Food 
Security Commodity Reserve with the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust. It 
also helps American farmers by giving the Department of Agriculture the 
ability to buy commodities for the Trust when prices are low.
  Secretary Glickman notes in his letter that the bill would have a 
very positive impact on our ability to manage the Food Security 
Commodity Reserve.

                                        Department of Agriculture,


                                      Office of the Secretary,

                               Washington, DC, September 22, 1998.
     Hon. Lee H. Hamilton,
     Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on International 
         Relations, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Lee: This is in response to your request for the views 
     of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) concerning H.R. 4283, 
     a bill ``To support sustainable and broad-based agricultural 
     and rural development in sub-Saharan Africa, and for other 
     purposes'' (Seeds of Hope Act). The bill is designed to focus 
     on development activities that will provide assistance to the 
     poor, especially women and children, throughout sub-Saharan 
     Africa.
       H.R. 4283 would enhance the Administration's ``Partnership 
     for Economic Growth and Opportunity in Africa,'' as well as 
     Congress' proposed legislation, ``The African Growth and 
     Opportunity Act.'' The Seeds of Hope Act will help build a 
     stronger and longer-term partnership between the United 
     States and the countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
       There are two proposals contained in H.R. 4283 that would 
     have substantial positive impact on managing the Food 
     Security Commodity Reserve (FSCR), which this bill would 
     rename the ``Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.'' The first 
     major change authorizes holding reserves in the form of cash, 
     as well as commodities. The holding of reserves in the form 
     of cash or commodities permits flexibility in managing the 
     trust and could result in reduced storage and handling costs 
     for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). The second major 
     proposal included in this legislation provides for more 
     flexibility in replenishing the trust. Current authority 
     provides for replenishing the FSCR through the purchase of 
     commodities using funds appropriated in advance for this 
     purpose or with existing, uncommitted CCC stocks. This 
     legislation proposes allowing CCC to replenish the trust 
     using funds appropriated for use in carrying out Pub. L. 83-
     480 activities that related to repaying CCC for the prior 
     release of commodities from the trust.
       H.R. 4283 could increase direct spending; therefore, it is 
     subject to the pay-as-you-go requirements of the Omnibus 
     Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. The Office of Management 
     and Budget's preliminary scoring estimates of this bill are 
     zero.
       The Office of Management and Budget advises that from the 
     standpoint of the Administration's program there is no 
     objection to the presentation of this report.
       USDA supports the passage of H.R. 4283. Thank you for the 
     opportunity to share with you the Department's views. I am 
     sending a similar letter to Representative Doug Bereuter.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Dan Glickman,
                                                        Secretary.

     

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