I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7276 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 18, 2020 Mr. Smith of New Jersey (for himself and Ms. Bass ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To establish an interagency working group to develop a comprehensive, strategic plan to eradicate locust outbreaks in the East Africa region and address future outbreaks in order to avert mass scale food insecurity and potential political destabilization, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the East Africa Locust Eradication Act . 2. Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to address proactively threats to food security in the East Africa region and elsewhere, as well as the concomitant potential for political instability, caused by periodic locust outbreaks, and to promote resilience in affected countries. 3. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The United States Agency for International Development reports that the East Africa region is currently suffering the worst locust outbreaks in decades, which will devour crops and pasture across that region. (2) As of June 2020, there were more than 26 million people experiencing acute food insecurity in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, and Djibouti, and untold more will be at risk if the locusts are not controlled. (3) The World Food Programme reports that there may be insufficient resources to conduct aerial spraying to address the locust outbreaks that are currently devastating the East Africa region, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization warns that the current outbreaks could develop into a plague by the end of 2020 if they are not controlled. (4) The locust outbreaks in the Horn of Africa region, particularly in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia, represents an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods, and potentially, by extension, political stability in the region. (5) A relatively small investment now to help eradicate the locust outbreaks will obviate or ameliorate the need for a much larger United States emergency food aid effort later, as well as help promote political stability and build resilience. (6) In order to optimize a United States response to the locust outbreaks and future outbreaks, it is necessary to establish an interagency working group to develop and implement a comprehensive, strategic plan to eradicate locust outbreaks in the East Africa region and address future outbreaks. 4. Interagency working group (a) Establishment There is established an interagency working group to develop a comprehensive, strategic plan to eradicate locust outbreaks in the East Africa region and address future outbreaks in order to avert mass scale food insecurity and potential political destabilization. (b) Membership (1) In general The interagency working group shall be composed of— (A) the United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture; (B) one member who is an officer or employee of the National Security Council, who shall be appointed by the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs; (C) one member who is an officer or employee of the Department of State, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of State; (D) one member who is an officer or employee of the Department of Defense, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense; (E) one member who is an officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture; and (F) two members who are officers or employees of the United States Agency for International Development, who shall be appointed by the Administrator of the Agency. (2) Chair The President shall designate one member of the interagency working group specified in paragraph (1) to serve as chair of the interagency working group. (c) Duties The interagency working group shall— (1) assess the scope of the locust outbreaks in the East Africa region and its impact on food security and political stability in the region, including in the context of restrictions relating to the coronavirus disease 2019 (commonly referred to as COVID-19 ) pandemic; (2) review the effectiveness of regional and multilateral efforts to eradicate the locust outbreaks in the East Africa region and the coordination among relevant United States Government agencies, regional governments, and international organizations, including the World Food Programme and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; and (3) develop a comprehensive, strategic plan to eradicate locust outbreaks in the East Africa region and address future outbreaks in the region in order to avert mass scale food insecurity and potential political destabilization, including— (A) to more effectively address the outbreaks, including improving— (i) the coordination among relevant United States Government agencies, regional governments, and international organizations, including the World Food Programme and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; and (ii) the delivery of necessary assets to achieve the eradication of the outbreaks or otherwise mitigate the impact of such outbreaks to the extent necessary to avoid major food insecurity; and (B) prevent or mitigate future locust outbreaks in Africa and other parts of the world. (d) Report Not later than 90 days after the date on which the interagency working group is established under subsection (a), the interagency working group shall submit to the President a report that contains the comprehensive, strategic plan required by subsection (c)(3). 5. Implementation of comprehensive, strategic plan (a) In general Not later than 30 days after the date on which the comprehensive, strategic plan is submitted to the President as required by section 4(d), the President shall designate one member of the interagency working group to coordinate implementation of the comprehensive, strategic plan. (b) Interagency working group support The interagency working group shall continue to meet not less than semi-annually to facilitate implementation of the comprehensive, strategic plan required by section 4(c)(3). (c) Administrative support Upon request of the member of the interagency working group designated by the President under subsection (a), the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall provide necessary and appropriate administrative support of the Agency to facilitate implementation of the comprehensive, strategic plan required by section 4(c)(3). 6. Report Not later than 90 days after appointment of the member of the interagency working group designated by the President under section 5(a), the member shall submit to Congress a report on the status of the implementation of the comprehensive, strategic plan required by section 4(c)(3).