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Problem:SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Food for Peace Reform Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. FOOD FOR PEACE PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--Title XII of chapter 2 of part I of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2220a et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 300 (22 U.S.C. 2220e) as
section 300A; and
(2) by inserting after section 299 (22 U.S.C. 2220d) the
following:

''SEC. 300. FOOD FOR PEACE PROGRAM.

''(a) Establishment.--There is established in the United States
Agency for International Development (referred to in this section as
the 'Agency') a food assistance program, which shall be known as the
'Food for Peace Program'.
''(b) Emergency Assistance.--Notwithstanding any provision of law
that prohibits or otherwise unduly restricts the Administrator of the
Agency (referred to in this Act as the 'Administrator') from carrying
out the activities authorized under this section, the Administrator,
under the Food for Peace Program, is authorized to provide assistance,
consistent with this section, including through the provision of
agricultural commodities produced in the United States or acquired
through local or regional procurement (including products derived from
agricultural commodities), funds, and vouchers to meet emergency food
needs arising from manmade and natural disasters, including famines and
other food crises.
''(c) Nonemergency Assistance.--
''(1) Objectives.--Notwithstanding section 55305 of title
46, United States Code, the Administrator, under the Food for
Peace Program, is authorized to provide assistance, directly or
through eligible organizations described in paragraph (2), and
consistent with this section, including through the provision
of agricultural commodities produced in the United States or
acquired through local or regional procurement (including
products derived from agricultural commodities), funds, and
vouchers to carry out nonemergency food security programs in
foreign countries to achieve any of the following objectives:
''(A) Combating malnutrition, especially in
infants, children, and mothers, including through
appropriate health interventions directly related to
alleviating or preventing malnutrition.
''(B) Addressing hunger needs.
''(C) Mitigating food crises, particularly with
respect to vulnerable populations.
''(D) Promoting resilient food security through
integrated and holistic programs that--
''(i) improve agricultural productivity;
''(ii) diversify incomes for vulnerable
populations within the agricultural and other
related sectors to reduce food insecurity;
''(iii) enhance community and other
development activities significantly linked to
agricultural activities; and
''(iv) improve environmental practices.
''(2) Eligible organizations.--An organization is eligible
to receive assistance under paragraph (1) if the organization
is--
''(A) a private voluntary organization or
cooperative that is registered with the Administrator;
''(B) directly supervised by an organization
described in subparagraph (A); or
''(C) an intergovernmental organization, such as
the World Food Program.
''(d) Minimum Funding for Nonemergency Assistance.--
''(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and
(3), of the amounts made available to carry out emergency and
nonemergency food assistance programs under this section, not
less than 20 percent nor more than 30 percent shall be expended
for each fiscal year to carry out subsection (c).
''(2) Minimum level.--The amount made available to carry
out subsection (c) shall not be less than $375,000,000 for any
fiscal year.
''(3) Waiver.--The Administrator may waive the requirements
under paragraphs (1) and (2) after certifying to the
appropriate congressional committees that--
''(A)(i) additional funds are required to provide
food assistance to meet an urgent humanitarian need;
and
''(ii) other sources of funds authorized for use in
emergency situations have already been obligated;
''(B) additional funds subject to the waiver under
this paragraph are--
''(i) first paid from unobligated funds;
and
''(ii) only paid from obligated funds if
the additional funds are necessary to meet an
urgent and compelling humanitarian need; and
''(C) if the urgent humanitarian need is reasonably
expected to continue beyond the fiscal year during
which the need began, the budget request of the
President for the subsequent fiscal year will include a
request for emergency food assistance funding
authorized under subsection (b) to account for the
additional funds required to address the need.
''(4) Replenishment.--If the Administrator waives the
requirement described in paragraph (1), pursuant to paragraph
(3), the Administrator may expend funds authorized under
section 302 of the Agricultural Act of 1980 (7 U.S.C. 1736f-1)
in an amount equal to the total amount of funds subject to the
waiver to provide assistance under subsection (c).
''(e) Description of Intended Uses.--A proposal submitted by any
eligible organization to enter into an agreement for a nonemergency
food assistance agreement program with the Administrator under
subsection (c) shall include--
''(1) a description of the proposed program;
''(2) a description of the manner in which the proposed
program would address 1 or more of the objectives described in
subsection (c) in the region in which the proposed program is
to be implemented;
''(3) the amount of funds requested;
''(4) a description of any agricultural commodities and
products derived from agricultural commodities that would be
used to implement the proposed program;
''(5) a description of the manner in which the organization
would work with indigenous institutions and communities to
carry out the proposed program;
''(6) a description of the proposed output impact and other
indicators that would be used to--
''(A) monitor the progress of the proposed program;
and
''(B) assist in determining whether the activities
funded under the proposed program are achieving program
objectives;
''(7) a description of proposed baseline data--
''(A) that would be collected, to the maximum
extent practicable; and
''(B) against which indicators can be measured; and
''(8) a plan for measuring and reporting progress towards
achieving program objectives, outcomes, and other indicators.
''(f) Food Aid Consultative Group.--
''(1) Establishment.--There is established the Food Aid
Consultative Group (referred to in this section as the
'Group'), which--
''(A) shall meet regularly; and
''(B) may organize into subcommittees, as
appropriate, to review and address issues concerning--
''(i) the effectiveness of the regulations
and procedures that govern food assistance
programs established and implemented under this
section; and
''(ii) the implementation of other
provisions of this section that may involve
eligible organizations described in subsection
(c).
''(2) Membership.--The Group shall be composed of--
''(A) the Administrator;
''(B) the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm
and Foreign Agricultural Services;
''(C) the Inspector General of the Agency;
''(D) a representative of each private voluntary
organization and cooperative participating in a program
under this section, or receiving planning assistance
funds from the Agency to establish programs under this
section;
''(E) representatives from African, Asian, and
Latin American indigenous nongovernmental organizations
determined appropriate by the Administrator;
''(F) representatives from agricultural producer
groups in the United States;
''(G) representatives from the United States
agricultural processing sector involved in providing
agricultural commodities for programs under this
section;
''(H) representatives from the maritime
transportation sector involved in transporting
agricultural commodities overseas for programs under
this section; and
''(I) nutrition science experts from academia and
nongovernmental organizations.
''(3) Chairperson.--The Administrator shall be the
chairperson of the Group.
''(4) Consultations.--Not later than 45 days before a
proposed regulation, handbook, or guideline implementing this
section, or a proposed significant revision to a regulation,
handbook, or guideline implementing this section, becomes
final, the Administrator shall provide the proposal to the
Group for review and comment.
''(5) Coordination and oversight.--
''(A) In general.--The Administrator shall work
within the Group to take the actions described in
subsection (B) to increase coordination and oversight
of food assistance programs established and implemented
under this Act, with a primary focus on improving
quality control and cost effectiveness.
''(B) Actions described.--The actions referred to
in subparagraph (A) are the following:
''(i) Explore and test options for improved
packaging and storage of products to improve
shelf life, promote recommended usage by
intended beneficiaries, and oversee field-
testing of products.
''(ii) Work closely with the Department of
Agriculture, to undertake reforms in commodity
acquisition and supply chain management,
drawing on best commercial practices for vendor
selection, quality assurance standards, overall
management of the supply chain, and auditing of
food aid commodity suppliers.
''(iii) Develop mechanisms and partnerships
to facilitate more private sector development
and innovation in food aid products, packaging,
and delivery in order to improve the cost-
effectiveness, nutritional quality, and overall
acceptability of the product.
''(iv) Provide guidance to implementing
partners on whether and how best to use food
aid commodities, such as new specialized food
products, including guidance on targeting
strategies to ensure that the products reach
their intended recipients.
''(v) Work to strengthen the monitoring of
commodity quality, as appropriate, by
identifying and tracking key quality indicators
to determine the full extent of quality
problems, including emerging concerns.
''(vi) Establish processes and system-wide
protocols for effective monitoring and
evaluation of impact, to inform improved
program design, and to address improvements in
cost-effectiveness.
''(6) Advisory committee act.--The Federal Advisory
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Group.
''(g) Administrative Provisions.--
''(1) Food aid quality.--
''(A) In general.--The Administrator shall use
funds made available to carry out the Food for Peace
Program authorized under this section--
''(i) to assess the types and quality of
agricultural commodities and products donated
for food aid;
''(ii) to adjust products and formulations
(including the potential introduction of new
fortificants and products) as necessary to
cost-effectively meet nutrient needs of target
populations;
''(iii) to test prototypes;
''(iv) to adopt new specifications, or to
improve existing specifications, for
micronutrient fortified food aid products,
based on the latest developments in food and
nutrition science, and in coordination with
other international partners;
''(v) to develop new program guidance to
facilitate improved matching of products to
purposes having nutritional intent, in
coordination with other international partners;
''(vi) to develop improved guidance for
implementing partners on how to address
nutritional deficiencies that emerge among
recipients for whom food assistance is the sole
source of diet in emergency programs that
extend beyond 1 year, in coordination with
other international partners; and
''(vii) to evaluate, in appropriate
settings and as necessary, the performance and
cost-effectiveness of new or modified
specialized food products and program
approaches designed to meet the nutritional
needs of the most vulnerable groups, such as
pregnant and lactating mothers, and children
younger than 5 years of age.
''(B) Administration.--In carrying out subparagraph
(A), the Administrator--
''(i) shall consult with independent
entities with proven expertise in food aid
commodity quality enhancements;
''(ii) may enter into contracts to obtain
the services of the entities described in
clause (i); and
''(iii) shall consult with the Food Aid
Consultative Group established under subsection
(f).
''(2) Freight procurement.--Notwithstanding division C of
subtitle I of title 41, United States Code, or other similar
provisions of law relating to the making or performance of
Federal Government contracts, ocean transportation authorized
under this section may be procured on the basis of full and
open competitive procedures. Resulting contracts may contain
such terms and conditions as the Administrator determines to be
necessary and appropriate.
''(3) Limitation.--No assistance shall be made available
through the Food for Peace Program under this section unless
the Administrator determines that the provision of the
agricultural commodity in the recipient country would not--
''(A) result in a substantial disincentive to, or
interference with, the domestic production or marketing
of agricultural commodities in the recipient country;
or
''(B) have a disruptive impact on the agricultural
producers or the local economy of the recipient
country.
''(4) Effect on sales of united states agricultural
commodities.--In carrying out the Food for Peace Program under
this section, the Administrator shall take reasonable
precautions to avoid displacing any sales of United States
agricultural commodities that the Administrator determines
would otherwise occur.
''(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated, for fiscal year 2015 and each fiscal year thereafter,
$2,400,000,000, which shall be used to carry out the Food for Peace
Program established under this section.''.
(b) Repeal of Title II of Food for Peace Act.--Title II of the Food
for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.) is repealed.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of the Congress that the United States Merchant
Marine--
(1) is a critical component of our Nation's military and
economic security;
(2) consists of a fleet of private, merchant ships that are
registered in the United States and provide domestic and
international transportation for passengers and cargo; and
(3) with the dedicated crews of mariners that operate the
fleet, is an essential part of defense capacity in times of
peace and in times of war.
Solution:
Food for Peace Reform Act of 2015 Establishes the Food for Peace program in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. (Repeals authority for the current program under title II of the Food for Peace Act, including certain U.S. commodity purchase, U.S. cargo, and monetization requirements.) Authorizes USAID to provide emergency and nonemergency foreign assistance, including through the provision of U.S. commodities or local or regional procurement. Authorizes nonemergency assistance to combat malnutrition and hunger, mitigate food crises, and promote resilient food security. Sets forth minimum funding levels for nonemergency assistance. Establishes the Food Aid Consultative Group, which shall: test options for improved product packaging and storage; reform commodity acquisition and supply chain management; increase private sector development in food aid products, packaging, and delivery; provide guidance on how best to use food aid commodities, including guidance on ensuring that the products reach their intended recipients; and strengthen commodity quality monitoring. Requires USAID to: assess the types and quality of agricultural commodities and products donated for food aid; adjust products to cost-effectively meet nutrient needs of target populations; test prototypes; adopt new, or improve existing, specifications for micronutrient fortified food aid products; develop program guidance for matching products to nutrient purposes; and evaluate performance and cost-effectiveness of food products and programs for vulnerable groups, such as pregnant mothers and young children. Authorizes ocean transportation of agricultural commodities to be procured through full and open competitive procedures. Requires USAID to avoid displacing sales of U.S. agricultural commodities. Prohibits Program assistance from being made available unless USAID determines that the provision of the agricultural commodity in the recipient country would not: (1) result in substantial interference with the domestic production or marketing of agricultural commodities in the country, or (2) have a disruptive impact on the agricultural producers or the local economy of the country. Expresses the sense of Congress that the U.S. Merchant Marine: (1) is a critical component of the nation's military and economic security; (2) consists of a fleet of private, U.S.-registered merchant ships that provides domestic and international transportation for passengers and cargo; and (3) is an essential part of defense capacity in times of peace and in times of war.