Global Food Security Act of 2016
Floor Speech
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Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
The rule of construction under section 9 affirms that nothing in this act, or amendments made by this act, will supersede or otherwise affect the authority of a relevant Federal department or agency to carry out a number of vital international food aid programs, including Food for Peace, Food for Progress, USDA's Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement Program, the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Program, the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, or any other emergency or non-emergency food aid program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Is it the gentleman from California's understanding that this rule of construction applies equally to all parts of the bill, including section 7, which authorizes an Emergency Food Security Program, or EFSP?
I yield to the gentleman from California for his response.
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Mr. CONAWAY. Reclaiming my time, is it also the gentleman's understanding that the ``notwithstanding authority'' granted to the Emergency Food Security Program will not in any way affect the existing requirements under the Food for Peace Act, including requirements relating to the purchase and shipment of U.S. agriculture commodities under this act?
I yield to the gentleman.
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Mr. CONAWAY. Reclaiming my time, does the committee chairman agree that the Food for Peace program, which is wholly separate from the bill we are debating on the floor today, is vital to U.S. efforts to respond to emergencies and alleviate global hunger? Does the gentleman also agree that the provision of U.S. agriculture commodities through the Food for Peace program has saved millions of lives, and that the U.S. agriculture commodities must remain a significant part of U.S. international food aid programs?
I yield to the gentleman.
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Mr. CONAWAY. Reclaiming my time, I appreciate the gentleman from California for his continued work on this important matter, particularly his recognition of the crucial role that the Agriculture Committee must play in any global food security strategy.
As he rightly points out, programs like EFSP should be used in tandem with the time-tested Food for Peace program. It should not serve as a step towards eliminating the donation of U.S. commodities abroad.
I look forward to closely monitoring the progress of this strategy and developing a better understanding of how our foreign assistance dollars are being used.
I thank the gentleman for his extended colloquy and patience with the Committee on Agriculture's concerns with the bill. I thank him for that consideration and I look forward to supporting this bill.
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