[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4969]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2655. Mr. RISCH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle A of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1216. EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES TO EXPAND THE TIMELINESS AND 
                   REACH OF UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL FOOD 
                   ASSISTANCE.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development is authorized to procure life-
     saving food aid commodities, including commodities available 
     locally and regionally, for the provision of emergency food 
     assistance to the most vulnerable populations in countries 
     and areas experiencing acute food insecurity that has been 
     exacerbated by rising food prices, particularly in countries 
     and areas historically dependent upon imports of wheat and 
     other staple commodities from Ukraine and Russia.
       (b) Prioritization.--
       (1) In general.--In responding to crises in which emergency 
     food aid commodities are unavailable locally or regionally, 
     or in which the provision of locally or regionally procured 
     agricultural commodities would be unsafe, impractical, or 
     inappropriate, the Administrator should prioritize 
     procurements of United States agricultural commodities, 
     including when exercising authorities under section 491 of 
     the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2292).
       (2) Local or regional procurements.--In making local or 
     regional procurements of food aid commodities pursuant to 
     subsection (a), the Administrator, to the extent practicable 
     and appropriate, should prioritize procurements from areas 
     supported through the international agricultural development 
     programs authorized under the Global Food Security Act of 
     2016 (22 U.S.C. 9301 et seq.) and from Ukraine, for the 
     purpose of promoting economic stability, resilience to price 
     shocks, and early recovery from such shocks in such areas.
       (c) Do No Harm.--In making local or regional procurements 
     of food aid commodities pursuant to subsection (a), the 
     Administrator shall first conduct market assessments to 
     ensure that such procurements--
       (1) will not displace United States agricultural trade and 
     investment; and
       (2) will not cause or exacerbate shortages, or otherwise 
     harm local markets, for such commodities within the countries 
     of origin.
       (d) Emergency Exceptions.--
       (1) In general.--Commodities procured pursuant to 
     subsection (b) shall be excluded from calculations of gross 
     tonnage for purposes of determining compliance with section 
     55305(b) of title 46, United States Code.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 55305(b) of title 46, 
     United States Code, is amended by striking ``shall'' and 
     inserting ``should''.
       (e) Exclusions.--The authority under subsection (a) shall 
     not apply to procurements from--
       (1) the Russian Federation;
       (2) the People's Republic of China; or
       (3) any country subject to sanctions under--
       (A) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
     U.S.C. 2371);
       (B) section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
     2780); or
       (C) section 1754(c) of the Export Control Reform Act of 
     2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)).
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