American Farmers Feed the World Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-2862
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]
Introduced: 2023-09-20
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-09-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-09-20
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>American Farmers Feed the World Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill imposes limits and requirements on international food assistance provided under Title II of the Food for Peace Act and makes other changes to the assistance program.</p><p>First, the bill eliminates the use of food procured outside of the United States, food vouchers, or cash transfers as food as assistance under the program.</p><p>Second, the bill restricts the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from using more than 50% of its annual appropriations for program expenses other than the procurement of agricultural commodities and ocean transportation.</p><p>Additionally, the bill limits the amount that USAID may provide to qualified organizations to be used for purposes such as administration, personnel, and program evaluation. Under current law, USAID must spend a minimum of 7.5% and a maximum of 20% of its annual appropriations for these purposes. The bill reduces the minimum to 5% and the maximum to 10%. The bill also cancels the Local and Regional Procurement assistance program, which funds field-based (i.e., outside the United States) agricultural projects.</p><p>The bill also modifies some of the respective powers of USAID and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). For example, the bill transfers from USAID to USDA the authority to approve drawing emergency food aid from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.</p><p>The bill also renames the assistance program as the <em>Peter O'Brien Food for Peace Program. &nbsp;</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2862 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 20, 2023 Mr. Braun (for himself, Mr. Tester , Mr. Marshall , and Mr. Ricketts ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To amend the Food for Peace Act to restore the original intent of commodity transfers, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Farmers Feed the World Act of 2023 . 2. Peter O’Brien Food for Peace Program (a) Renaming of program (1) In general Title II of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq. ) is amended in the title heading by striking Emergency and Private Assistance Programs and inserting Peter O’Brien Food for Peace Program . (2) General authority Section 201 of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1721 ) is amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking title (to be implemented by the Administrator) and inserting title, to be known as the Peter O'Brien Food for Peace Program , to be implemented by the Administrator, . (b) Provision of agricultural commodities Section 202 of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1722 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) by striking of law, the Administrator and inserting in this Act, the Administrator, with the consent of the Secretary, ; and (B) by striking the Administrator determines and inserting the Secretary determines ; (2) in subsection (e)— (A) in paragraph (1), by striking 7.5 percent nor more than 20 percent and inserting 5 percent nor more than 10 percent ; and (B) by adding at the end the following: (5) Limitation on diversion of funds Of the funds made available in each fiscal year under this title to the Administrator, not more than 50 percent shall be made available for expenses other than the procurement of agricultural commodities and ocean transportation. (6) Report Not later than 180 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, and make publicly available on the website of the Administrator, a report that describes— (A) the uses of funds under this subsection; (B) each instance of a provision of this Act notwithstood under subsection (a) and the circumstances associated with that instance, including an identification of the particular provision notwithstood; and (C) each request made by the Administrator to the Secretary to provide agricultural commodities under subsection (a), the reason for the request, the determination of the Secretary to grant or not grant the request, and the reason for the determination. ; and (3) in subsection (g)— (A) by striking or food procured outside of the United States, ; (B) by inserting produced and before furnished ; and (C) by striking of America . (c) Levels of assistance Section 204(a)(3) of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1724(a)(3) ) is amended— (1) in the first sentence, by striking The Administrator and inserting The Secretary, following consultation with the Administrator, ; and (2) by striking the second sentence and inserting the following: Not later than 180 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, and Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Foreign Relations, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Appropriations of the Senate, and make publicly available on the website of the Administrator, a report that describes the reasons for the waiver. . (d) Prohibition on certain assistance Title II of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 209. Prohibition on certain assistance Under this title, the use of food procured outside of the United States, food vouchers, or cash transfers for food as a form of assistance is prohibited. . (e) Definition of agricultural commodity Section 402(2) of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1732(2) ) is amended in the first sentence by striking , unless otherwise provided for in this Act, . (f) General provisions Section 403 of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1733 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)— (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking , food procured outside of the United States, food voucher, or cash transfer for food ; (B) in paragraph (1)— (i) by striking in the case of the provision of an agricultural commodity, ; and (ii) by striking the commodity each place it appears and inserting the agricultural commodity ; and (C) in paragraph (2), by striking or use of the food procured outside of the United States, food voucher, or cash transfer for food in the recipient country ; and (2) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by striking , the use of food procured outside of the United States, food vouchers, and cash transfers for food, . (g) Use of Commodity Credit Corporation Section 406(b)(6) of the Food for Peace Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1736(b)(6) ) is amended by striking , distribution, and program implementation costs to use the commodities and inserting and distribution costs . (h) Conforming amendments (1) Section 3206 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 1726c ) is repealed. (2) Section 9(b) of the Global Food Security Act of 2016 ( 22 U.S.C. 9308(b) ) is amended— (A) by striking paragraph (5); and (B) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively. 3. Simplified Access to the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Section 302 of the Agricultural Act of 1980 ( 7 U.S.C. 1736f–1 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (c)(1)— (A) in subparagraph (B)(i), in the matter preceding subclause (I)— (i) by inserting by the Secretary in the discretion of the Secretary, which shall be informed by information provided, at the request of the Secretary, by the Administrator regarding the ongoing programs of the Administrator, without undue delay, after released ; and (ii) by striking ( 7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq. )— and inserting ( 7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq. ), as approved by the Secretary— ; and (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the Administrator and inserting the Secretary ; and (2) in subsection (f)(2)(A), by inserting by the Secretary after shall be reimbursed .