[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 19252-19254]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           INTERNATIONAL FOOD RELIEF PARTNERSHIP ACT OF 2000

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5224) to amend the Agricultural Trade Development and 
Assistance Act of 1954 to authorize assistance for the stockpiling and 
rapid transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf stable 
prepackaged foods to needy individuals in foreign countries, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5224

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``International Food Relief 
     Partnership Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR STOCKPILING AND RAPID TRANSPORTATION, 
                   DELIVERY, AND DISTRIBUTION OF SHELF STABLE 
                   PREPACKAGED FOODS.

       Title II of the Agricultural Trade Development and 
     Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 208. ASSISTANCE FOR STOCKPILING AND RAPID 
                   TRANSPORTATION, DELIVERY, AND DISTRIBUTION OF 
                   SHELF STABLE PREPACKAGED FOODS.

       ``(a) Authorization.--The Administrator is authorized to 
     provide grants to--
       ``(1) United States nonprofit organizations (described in 
     section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
     exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue 
     Code of 1986) for the preparation of shelf stable prepackaged 
     foods requested by eligible organizations and the 
     establishment and maintenance of stockpiles of such foods in 
     the United States; and
       ``(2) private voluntary organizations and international 
     organizations for the rapid transportation, delivery, and 
     distribution of such shelf stable prepackaged foods to needy 
     individuals in foreign countries.
       ``(b) Grants for Establishment of Stockpiles.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not more than 70 percent of the amount 
     made available to carry out this section shall be used to 
     provide grants under subsection (a)(1).
       ``(2) Priority.--In providing grants under subsection 
     (a)(1), the Administrator shall give preference to a United 
     States nonprofit organization that agrees to provide non-
     Federal funds in an amount equal to 50 percent of the funds 
     received under a grant under subsection (a)(1), an in kind 
     contribution equal to such percent, or a combination thereof, 
     for the preparation of shelf stable prepackaged foods and the 
     establishment and maintenance of stockpiles of such foods in 
     the United States in accordance with such subsection.
       ``(c) Grants for Rapid Transportation, Delivery, and 
     Distribution.--Not less than 20 percent of the amount made 
     available to carry out this section shall be used to provide 
     grants under subsection (a)(2).
       ``(d) Administration.--Not more than 10 percent of the 
     amount made available to carry out this section may be used 
     by the Administrator for the administration of grants under 
     subsection (a).
       ``(e) Regulations or Guidelines.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
     Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of 
     Agriculture, shall issue such regulations or guidelines as 
     the Administrator determines to be necessary to carry out 
     this section, including regulations or guidelines that 
     provide to United States nonprofit organizations eligible to 
     receive grants under subsection (a)(1) guidance with respect 
     to the requirements for qualified shelf stable prepackaged 
     foods and the amount of such foods to be stockpiled by such 
     organizations.
       ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to the Administrator for the purpose of carrying out this 
     section, in addition to amounts otherwise available for such 
     purposes, $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2001 and 
     2002.
       ``(2) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
     authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) are 
     authorized to remain available until expended.''.

     SEC. 3. PREPOSITIONING OF COMMODITIES.

       Section 407(c) of the Agricultural Trade Development and 
     Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1736a(c)) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(4) Prepositioning.--Funds made available for fiscal 
     years 2001 and 2002 to carry out titles II and III of this 
     Act may be used by the Administrator to procure, transport, 
     and store agricultural commodities for prepositioning within 
     the United States and in foreign countries, except that for 
     each such fiscal year not more than $2,000,000 of such funds 
     may be used to store agricultural commodities for 
     prepositioning in foreign countries.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H.R. 5224, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

[[Page 19253]]


  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to urge my colleagues to 
support the International Food Relief Partnership Act, H.R. 5224, a 
bill that I introduced to authorize the stockpiling and rapid 
transportation, delivery and distribution of shelf stable prepackaged 
goods to needy individuals in foreign nations.
  This bill serves to create a public-private partnership to leverage 
the donation of nutritious food by volunteers to needy families around 
the globe at times of famine, disaster and critical needs.
  H.R. 5224 was cosponsored by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest), 
Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture; the gentleman from Nebraska 
(Mr. Bereuter), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific; 
and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), the ranking member of the 
Committee on Agriculture. I am pleased that the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Hall) has also lent his support for this important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, there is a gap in the United States' traditional 
international food relief effort and food reserve program that makes 
participation by nonprofit organizations that want to contribute 
donated food more difficult than it should be. The major barrier to 
these volunteer contributions is the high cost of providing these 
donated food products to international relief organizations that 
transport and distribute these foods overseas.
  It is unquestionable that agri-business efficiently and effectively 
provides assistance at times of greatest need through international 
food relief organizations that work through the Agency for 
International Development.
  However, nonprofits have a much more difficult time reaching 
international relief organizations to provide food assistance because 
of the high cost of processing, packaging, maintaining and shipping 
donated food. Consequently, food donated by nonprofits is often delayed 
from reaching affected populations or is simply not used for that 
purpose.
  The International Food Relief Partnership Act will fill this gap by 
providing grant assistance outside the traditional food relief program 
to nonprofits that should be matched by 50 cents on the dollar by funds 
raised by nonprofits.
  These grant monies will be used by nonprofits to ensure that food 
donated by farmers can be processed, packaged, stored and transported 
overseas at the time of need.
  AID would be responsible for the administration of this program, and 
although funding for it would be made available through the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture's Food for Peace Program.
  Nonprofits such as Breedlove, Child Life International, Feed the 
Starving Children provide direct hunger assistance at times of 
disaster, famine or other critical needs. Organizations such as these 
are located throughout the United States. These organizations accept 
gleaned crops donated by regional farmers, and they help to transport 
them and distribute this food overseas. And once the donated food is 
processed, it can be stored for years for use in food emergencies.
  Donated food reduces the cost of famine and disaster assistance, 
because these products cost only pennies to process and ship and 
supplement the traditional food basket. We need to encourage more 
volunteer efforts from nonprofits.
  Mr. Speaker, the International Food Relief Partnership Act 
accomplishes this objective by providing a means for nonprofits to 
accept donated food and to process it into a product for use in times 
of disaster, famine or other critical needs.
  Mr. Speaker, through the enactment of this bill we create an 
inexpensive mechanism that provides more food relief for less money. 
The 50 percent matching preference included in this legislation also 
makes certain that viable and deserving organizations earn the grant 
funds that they seek.
  Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge our colleagues to support the spirit 
of volunteerism and goodwill by passage of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. I want to commend the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), chairman of the Committee on 
International Relations, my friend; and also the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia and the 
Pacific; as well as the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest), the 
chairman of the Committee on Agriculture; and the gentleman from Texas 
(Mr. Stenholm), the ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture, for 
introducing the International Food Relief Partnership Act of 2000.
  The International Food Relief Partnership Act of 2000 authorizes, as 
was described by the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman), the 
stockpiling, rapid transportation, delivery and distribution of shelf 
stabled prepackaged foods to needy individuals in foreign countries.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill creates a public-private partnership to 
leverage the donation of nutritious food by volunteers to needy 
families around the globe at times of famine, disaster, and other 
critical needs.
  The bill also seeks to increase participation by nonprofit 
organizations in the provision of donated food to populations in need 
around the world.
  Finally, I want to take this opportunity, although not specifically 
on point with the matter before us, to reiterate my concern about the 
funding source for our food relief, title II of the fiscal year 2001 
Agriculture Appropriations bill passed by the House.
  This bill now is in conference committee, but it is important to note 
that House funding is not adequate to meet our commitment to countries 
during famines, droughts and other disasters.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues on the Committee on Appropriations 
will follow the example set by the Senate and that we ultimately will 
end up fully funding the administration's requests for PL-480 Title II 
at $837 million, ultimately, that relates directly to the bill before 
us.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5224.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Combest), the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. COMBEST. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support as an original cosponsor 
of H.R. 5224, the International Food Relief Partnership Act of 2000. 
Because of our agricultural productivity, the United States is able to 
aid the victims of famine, drought, and natural disasters all around 
the world.
  Many of the groups that assist in feeding hungry people around the 
world are faith based and private nonprofit organizations that donate 
their services. For years, these groups, who want to contribute food 
aid to victims of international disasters, have been prevented from 
fully participating in these efforts.
  H.R. 5224 would authorize the administrator of the U.S. Agency for 
International Development to provide grants to private, nonprofit, and 
private voluntary organizations for the stockpiling and rapid 
transportation, delivery, and distribution of shelf-stable prepackaged 
foods to needy individuals in foreign countries.
  This legislation also provides an incentive for farmers and ranchers 
to donate their surplus. Preference is given to U.S. nonprofit 
organizations that can provide 50 percent matching funds. This will 
improve our food relief efforts by enabling nonprofit organizations to 
contribute more food to international disaster sites, decrease the cost 
of the Federal Government, and increase the public participation.
  One example of a nonprofit organization that provides food assistance 
in the United States and around the world is Breedlove Dehydrated 
Foods. Breedlove Dehydrated Foods, an unusually committed group of 
people, have energized my home community and are

[[Page 19254]]

simply looking for a way to help the needy around the world. This 
organization accepts food donations from farmers and then dehydrates 
the food and packages it. The product Breedlove creates is a nutritious 
blend of vegetables and legumes that serve as a great source of 
protein. This product has been used before by private voluntary 
organizations in North Korea, Iraq, Kosovo, Turkey, Russia, Belarus, 
and Iran.
  Several other nonprofit organizations support this legislation. I ask 
my colleagues to support H.R. 5224.
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to at this point extend my congratulations to the 
gentleman from Texas (Chairman Combest). As a member of the House 
Committee on Agriculture, I believe that he has had a very 
distinguished term in leading that committee and is personally 
responsible for the restoration of a constructive bipartisan spirit in 
that committee. His other major ally in achieving that progress has 
been the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), the ranking member.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm).
  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Dakota 
(Mr. Pomeroy) for yielding me the time. I, too, commend the gentleman 
from New York (Chairman Gilman) and the gentleman from Texas (Chairman 
Combest) for their leadership in bringing this legislation to the floor 
today.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the International Food Relief 
Partnership Act because it fundamentally addresses the long-term and 
long-standing desire among farmers and ranchers in our country to 
provide food directly to those overseas that need it most.
  For years now, many farmers and ranchers have wanted to donate 
agricultural products to feed the hungry, both here and abroad. Yet, 
there is currently no mechanism in place in our food aid programs to 
accommodate a farmer who wants to donate a truckload of produce and no 
means to get that produce overseas to those in need.
  That was true until a nonprofit organization named Breedlove began 
testing the concept of accepting donated vegetables from local farmers 
for dehydration and shipment overseas. These dehydrated vegetable 
packages are lightweight enough to be efficiently shipped and provide a 
nutritious and cost-efficient meal. The Breedlove product has been used 
successfully for private voluntary organizations in seven countries 
around the world.
  This bill will provide incentives to further test the use of 
prepackaged shelf-stable food and will also provide limited authority 
to test the concept of prepositioning commodities overseas for use in 
emergencies.
  With this authority, we hope to provide the Agency for International 
Development with incentives it can use to encourage more farmers and 
ranchers to make donations that will leverage scarce Federal resources 
and improve the diets of food aid recipients around the world.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5224, the International Food 
Relief Partnership Act.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time.
  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5224, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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