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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3529 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3529

   To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 to 
 provide assistance to foreign countries to promote food security, to 
 stimulate rural economies, and to improve emergency response to food 
  crises, to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

           September 22 (legislative day, September 17), 2008

 Mr. Lugar (for himself and Mr. Casey) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 to 
 provide assistance to foreign countries to promote food security, to 
 stimulate rural economies, and to improve emergency response to food 
  crises, to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Global Food 
Security Act of 2008''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
         TITLE I--POLICY OBJECTIVES, PLANNING AND COORDINATION

Sec. 101. Statement of policy.
Sec. 102. Comprehensive food security strategy.
Sec. 103. Reports.
                      TITLE II--BILATERAL PROGRAMS

Sec. 201. Agriculture, rural development, and nutrition.
Sec. 202. Agricultural research.
Sec. 203. Higher education collaboration for technology, agriculture, 
                            research and extension.
              TITLE III--EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISES

Sec. 301. Emergency food assistance account.
Sec. 302. Authorization of appropriations.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Nearly 1,000,000,000 people worldwide suffer from food 
        insecurity, defined as a lack of access to sufficient food to 
        meet dietary needs for an active and healthy life.
            (2) The number of food insecure increased from 849,000,000 
        in 2006 to 982,000,000 in 2007.
            (3) The World Food Programme reports that 25,000 people die 
        each day from malnutrition-related causes.
            (4) The food security situation of lower income countries 
        is projected to continue to deteriorate over the next decade.
            (5) Nearly half of the world's food insecure live in Sub-
        Saharan Africa.
            (6) The agricultural sector comprises large portions of the 
        total labor force in many developing countries, as high as 70 
        to 80 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it also contributes 
        about 35 percent of the total gross national product (GDP).
            (7) Agriculture has been shown to be an efficient engine of 
        economic growth in developing countries.
            (8) A diverse and secure food supply has health benefits, 
        including increasing child survival, improving cognitive and 
        physical development of children, and increasing immune system 
        function including resistance to HIV/AIDS.
            (9) Rapid increases in global food costs since 2007 
        threaten to significantly undermine gains achieved in poverty 
        reduction and health programs.
            (10) The poor in developing countries spend as much as 50 
        to 70 percent of their incomes on food.
            (11) Three out of five of those suffering from hunger are 
        rural small-scale agricultural families. One out of five is a 
        rural landless laborer, and another one-fifth are urban poor, 
        according to the United Nations Hunger Task Force.
            (12) A comprehensive approach to food security should 
        encompass improvements in nutrition, education, agricultural 
        infrastructure and productivity, finance and markets, safety 
        net programs, household incomes, and emergency preparedness.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development.
            (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (3) Chronic food insecurity.--The term ``chronic food 
        insecurity'' means ongoing and persistent lack of access to 
        sufficient food to meet dietary needs for an active and healthy 
        life.
            (4) Extreme poverty.--The term ``extreme poverty'' means 
        income of less than half of the poverty level as defined by the 
        International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the 
        relevant year.
            (5) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' means educational 
        institutions providing post-secondary education and training.

         TITLE I--POLICY OBJECTIVES, PLANNING AND COORDINATION

SEC. 101. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to promote global food 
security, to improve agricultural productivity, to support the 
development of institutions of higher learning that will enhance human 
capacity, a knowledge economy, agricultural research and technology, 
and the dissemination of farming techniques to all levels of the 
agriculture sector, and to support sustainable farming methods.

SEC. 102. COMPREHENSIVE FOOD SECURITY STRATEGY.

    (a) Special Coordinator.--The President shall designate an 
individual to serve in the Executive Office of the President as the 
Special Coordinator for Food Security. The coordinator shall advise and 
assist the President by--
            (1) advising the President on international food security 
        issues;
            (2) taking such actions as are necessary to ensure the 
        coordination of the food security efforts and programs of the 
        United States, including the activities of Federal agencies; 
        and
            (3) overseeing the development and implementation of the 
        strategy described in subsection (b).
    (b) Content of Strategy.--The strategy referred to in subsection 
(a)(3) is a comprehensive food security strategy that--
            (1) includes specific and measurable goals, benchmarks and 
        time frames, and a plan of action to achieve the objectives 
        described in section 101;
            (2) seeks to encourage and leverage, to the greatest extent 
        possible--
                    (A) private sector participation, including through 
                the Global Development Alliances of the United States 
                Agency for International Development and other 
                measures; and
                    (B) the coordination of United States food security 
                efforts with similar efforts of international 
                organizations, international financial institutions, 
                the governments of developing and developed countries, 
                and United States and international nongovernmental 
                organizations;
            (3) provides appropriate linkages with United States 
        international health programs, such as the President's 
        Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS Relief;
            (4) reflects a whole-of-government approach that 
        incorporates and encompasses the programs of relevant Federal 
        departments and agencies that engage in some aspect of food 
        security, including the Department of State, the United States 
        Agency for International Development, the Department of 
        Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Millennium 
        Challenge Corporation, the Department of the Treasury, the 
        Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the 
        Department of Health and Human Services; and
            (5) provides annual monitoring and evaluation of the 
        program addressing progress toward access to food, availability 
        of food, utilization of food, and risk factors associated with 
        food insecure populations.
    (c) Implementation.--The United States Agency for International 
Development shall be the lead agency in implementing the strategy 
described in subsection (b).

SEC. 103. REPORTS.

    (a) Annual Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and not later than December 31 of 
        each year thereafter through 2014, the President shall submit 
        to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
        implementation of the strategy described in section 102(b).
            (2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall 
        include--
                    (A) a copy of the strategy and an indication of any 
                changes made in the strategy during the preceding 
                calendar year;
                    (B) an assessment of progress made during the 
                preceding calendar year toward meeting the objectives 
                described in section 101 and the specific goals, 
                benchmarks, and time frames specified in the strategy 
                described in section 102(b);
                    (C) a description of United States Government 
                programs contributing to the achievement of the 
                objectives described in section 101, including the 
                amounts expended on such programs during the preceding 
                fiscal year; and
                    (D) an assessment of United States efforts to 
                encourage and leverage private sector participation in 
                United States food security programs and to coordinate 
                such programs with similar efforts of international 
                organizations, international financial institutions, 
                the governments of developing and developed countries, 
                and United States and international nongovernmental 
                organizations.
            (3) Government accountability office report.--Not later 
        than 270 days after the submission of each report under 
        paragraph (1), the Comptroller General of the United States 
        shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
        report that contains--
                    (A) a review of, and comments addressing, the 
                report submitted under paragraph (1); and
                    (B) recommendations relating to any additional 
                actions the Comptroller General determines to be 
                necessary to improve a global food security strategy 
                and its implementation.
    (b) Program Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the 
        appropriate congressional committees a report containing--
                    (A) an assessment of progress made during the 
                preceding four years toward meeting the objectives 
                described in section 101 and the specific goals, 
                benchmarks, and time frames specified in the strategy 
                described in section 102(b); and
                    (B) an evaluation of the impact during the 
                preceding four years of United States food security 
                programs on food security, health, and economic growth 
                in countries suffering from chronic food insecurity.
            (2) Basis for report.--The report required under paragraph 
        (1) shall be based on assessments and impact evaluations 
        utilizing sound quantitative and qualitative methodologies and 
        techniques for the behavioral sciences.

                      TITLE II--BILATERAL PROGRAMS

SEC. 201. AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, AND NUTRITION.

    (a) Authority.--Section 103(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151a(a)(1)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``; and'' and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(D) to expand the economic participation of people living 
        in extreme poverty and those who lack access to agriculturally 
        productive land, including through productive safety net 
        programs and health and nutrition programs, and to integrate 
        those living in extreme poverty into the economy.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the President to provide assistance under section 103 
of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151a) for the purpose 
of carrying out activities under this section, in addition to funds 
otherwise available for such purpose--
            (1) $750,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            (2) $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
            (3) $1,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;
            (4) $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
            (5) $2,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.
    (c) Collaborative Research Support Program.--Of the amounts 
appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under 
subsection (b), up to $35,000,000 may be made available annually for 
the Collaborative Research Support Program for fiscal years 2011 
through 2014.
    (d) Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.--Of 
the amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
appropriations under subsection (b), up to $45,000,000 may be made 
available annually for core long-term research for the Consultative 
Group on International Agricultural Research for fiscal years 2011 
through 2014.

SEC. 202. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH.

    Section 103A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2151a-1) is amended in the first sentence--
            (1) by striking ``, and (3) make'' and inserting ``, (3) 
        make''; and
            (2) by striking the period at the end and inserting ``, and 
        (4) include research on biotechnological advances appropriate 
        to local ecological conditions, including genetically modified 
        technology.''.

SEC. 203. HIGHER EDUCATION COLLABORATION FOR TECHNOLOGY, AGRICULTURE, 
              RESEARCH AND EXTENSION.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Institutions of higher education can promote a robust 
        agriculture sector through investments in human capital, 
        research and technology, and extension services.
            (2) Enrollment levels in higher education are 5 percent in 
        Africa, 10 percent in South Asia, 19 percent in East Asia, and 
        23 percent in North Africa and the Middle East.
            (3) Universities in the United States have a history of 
        serving as engines of development.
            (4) Many universities in the United States have experience 
        in partnering with foreign universities on faculty and student 
        exchanges, curriculum development, and joint research projects.
            (5) According to a World Bank study, higher education 
        contributes to national productivity, raises living standards, 
        and improves a country's ability to compete globally.
            (6) United States foreign assistance support for higher 
        education has declined from the 1990s.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to provide United 
States assistance for the development of higher educational capacity in 
the field of agriculture in a manner that promotes economic growth in 
rural areas, the alleviation of poverty and malnutrition, nutritional 
diversity, and good governance.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Assistance plan.--The term ``assistance plan'' means a 
        multi-year plan developed by the United States Agency for 
        International Development in coordination with a foreign 
        government addressing assistance for agricultural education 
        programs.
            (2) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Board for Higher 
        Education Collaboration for Technology, Agriculture, Research, 
        and Extension.
            (3) Education center of excellence.--The term ``education 
        center of excellence'' means an institution of higher education 
        that is designated as the lead educational institution for 
        purposes of the assistance plan.
            (4) Eligible country.--The term ``eligible country'' means 
        a country that meets the requirements of subsection (h).
    (d) Establishment of Program.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a 
program to be known as the Higher Education Collaboration for 
Technology, Agriculture, Research, and Extension (in this section 
referred to as the ``Program'' or ``HECTARE'') for the purpose of 
providing assistance in support of policies and programs in eligible 
countries that advance agricultural productivity and hunger alleviation 
through partnerships with institutions of higher education.
    (e) Form of Assistance.--Assistance may be provided under this 
section in the form of grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to 
or with eligible entities described in subsection (i) and shall be 
provided pursuant to assistance plans as described in subsection (g). 
Assistance may not be provided under this section in the form of loans.
    (f) Use of Funds.--Assistance provided under this section may be 
used to provide support to education centers of excellence in eligible 
countries for the following purposes:
            (1) Academic exchange programs for students, faculty 
        members, and school administrators with other education of 
        centers of excellence and with universities in the United 
        States.
            (2) Strengthening agriculture sciences curricula.
            (3) Increasing research capacity.
            (4) Improving the dissemination of appropriate information 
        and technology to farmers.
    (g) Assistance Plans.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall provide assistance 
        under this section pursuant to an assistance plan developed in 
        coordination with an eligible country that establishes a multi-
        year plan for significantly improving agricultural productivity 
        and investing in rural economies through the strengthening of 
        agricultural programs at institutions of higher learning.
            (2) Elements.--An assistance plan should--
                    (A) take into account the national development 
                strategy of the eligible country;
                    (B) identify an education center of excellence 
                devoted to agricultural sciences (in this paragraph 
                referred to as a ``center'');
                    (C) identify the partnerships between the center 
                and other institutions of higher learning, including 
                schools or research institutions in the United States 
                and foreign countries, government agencies, including 
                local and regional governments, private sector 
                entities, and civil society;
                    (D) identify appropriate channels for dissemination 
                of farming techniques to the field; and
                    (E) identify the center's plans for--
                            (i) conducting agricultural research and 
                        technology;
                            (ii) strengthening the teaching of 
                        agriculture science, including programs aimed 
                        at curriculum, faculty, and students;
                            (iii) providing rural outreach services 
                        (extension); and
                            (iv) improving university administration.
            (3) Coordination.--The Administrator, as appropriate, shall 
        coordinate the development of assistance plans with the Global 
        AIDS/HIV Coordinator of the Department of State to ensure 
        coordination of such plans with education programs provided for 
        in section 204(c) of the United States Leadership Against HIV/
        AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 
        7623(c)).
    (h) Eligible Countries.--
            (1) Criteria.--The Administrator shall identify eligible 
        countries for purposes of this section. Such determination 
        shall be based, to the maximum extent possible, upon objective 
        and quantifiable indicators of a country's demonstrated 
        commitment to the following:
                    (A) Investments in, and support for, rural 
                economies, including the protection of private property 
                rights, the promotion of private sector growth and 
                sustainable management of natural resources, the rights 
                of women, and the well-being of women and children.
                    (B) Raising agricultural productivity of small- and 
                medium-sized farms.
                    (C) Alleviating poverty and hunger among the entire 
                population.
                    (D) Strengthening the system of higher education 
                institutions with regard to agriculture science, 
                research, and technology.
                    (E) The wide dissemination of farming techniques.
                    (F) Working with other international partners, such 
                as universities in the United States, other foreign 
                universities, civil society, and private business and 
                research institutions.
                    (G) Good governance, transparency, and anti-
                corruption policies.
            (2) Additional factors.--The Administrator, in selecting 
        eligible countries, shall consider--
                    (A) the extent to which the country clearly meets 
                or exceeds the eligibility criteria;
                    (B) the opportunity to increase agricultural 
                productivity, enhance human and institutional capacity, 
                and reduce hunger in the country;
                    (C) the availability of funds to carry out this 
                section; and
                    (D) the percentage of the country's population that 
                faces chronic food insecurity.
    (i) Eligible Entities.--Entities eligible for assistance under this 
section are the following:
            (1) Universities in the United States working in 
        partnership with institutions of higher education in eligible 
        countries.
            (2) Education centers of excellence and other institutions 
        of higher education in eligible countries.
            (3) National governments of eligible countries.
            (4) Regional or local governmental units of eligible 
        countries.
            (5) Nongovernmental organizations and private entities.
    (j) Board for Global Agricultural Education.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish a 
        permanent Board for Global Agricultural Education (in this 
        section referred to as the ``Board'') for purposes of assisting 
        in the administration of the programs authorized under this 
        section.
            (2) Membership.--The Board shall consist of 7 members, of 
        whom--
                    (A) not less than 4 shall be selected from 
                universities in the United States; and
                    (B) not less than 3 shall be selected from 
                representatives of nongovernmental organizations 
                devoted to agricultural research and education.
            (3) Duties.--The duties of the Board shall include the 
        following:
                    (A) Responsibility for advising the Administrator 
                on issues related to the planning, implementation, and 
                monitoring of activities described in this section.
                    (B) Advising the Administrator in the formulation 
                of basic policy, program design, procedures, and 
                criteria for the Program.
                    (C) Advising the Administrator on the 
                qualifications of interested institutions of higher 
                learning based on--
                            (i) their ability to work collaboratively 
                        to improve agricultural production, scientific 
                        research, and the dissemination of sound 
                        agricultural technologies;
                            (ii) their commitment to expanding and 
                        applying their academic, teaching, research, 
                        and outreach capacities; and
                            (iii) their commitment to partner with 
                        private organizations, civil society, and 
                        government entities.
                    (D) Advising the Administrator on which developing 
                nations could benefit from programs carried out under 
                this section and have an interest in establishing or 
                developing agricultural institutions that engage in 
                teaching, research, or extension services.
            (4) Term.--Terms of members shall be set by the 
        Administrator at the time of appointment.
            (5) Reimbursement of expenses.--Members of the Board shall 
        be entitled to such reimbursement of expenses incurred in the 
        performance of their duties (including per diem in lieu of 
        subsistence while away from their homes or regular place of 
        business) as the Administrator deems appropriate on a case-by-
        case basis.
    (k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the President for the purpose of carrying out 
activities under this section--
            (1) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
            (2) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
            (3) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2012;
            (4) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2013; and
            (5) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2014.
    (l) Disclosure of Funding Received by United States Universities.--
The Administrator shall prescribe regulations providing for the 
utilization by universities in the United States of alternative sources 
of public and private funding to carry out the purposes of this section 
and requiring the disclosure, not less than annually, of all such 
alternative funding, both prospective and received.
    (m) Annual Report.--Not later than October 1, 2009, and annually 
thereafter, the President shall submit to Congress a report detailing 
the activities carried out under this section during the preceding 
fiscal year and containing a projection of programs and activities to 
be conducted in the following year.

              TITLE III--EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO FOOD CRISES

SEC. 301. EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE ACCOUNT.

    (a) Authority.--Whenever the President determines it to be 
important to the national interest, the President may furnish on such 
terms and conditions as he may determine appropriate assistance under 
this Act or the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) 
for the purpose of meeting unexpected urgent food assistance needs, 
notwithstanding any provision of law which restricts assistance to 
foreign countries.
    (b) Establishment of Account.--
            (1) Establishment.--There is established a United States 
        Emergency Food Assistance Fund to carry out the purposes of 
        this section (in this section referred to as the ``Fund'').
            (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to the President from time to time such sums 
        as may be necessary for the Fund to carry out the purposes of 
        this section, except that no amount of funds may be 
        appropriated which, when added to amounts previously 
        appropriated but not yet obligated for such purpose, would 
        cause the total of such appropriated amounts to exceed 
        $500,000,000.
            (3)  Availability of funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant 
        to this section shall remain available until expended.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Assistance provided under this section may 
include the local and regional purchase and distribution of food, and 
the provision of emergency non-food assistance.
    (d) Limited Delegation of Authority.--The authority under 
subsection (a) may be delegated to the Administrator, provided that not 
more than $100,000,000 may be made available in any fiscal year 
pursuant to determinations made by the Administrator pursuant to the 
delegation of such authority.
    (e) Reporting Requirements.--The Administration shall submit a 
report to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 5 
days before providing assistance pursuant to a determination made under 
this section. The report shall indicate the unexpected urgent food 
needs to be addressed by the assistance and the amount of assistance to 
be provided.

SEC. 302. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $500,000,000 for fiscal year 
2010 for the purpose of carrying out this title.
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