WASHINGTON, DC- In response to the rising cost of food around the world, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today spearheaded a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging the Committee to increase funding for international food assistance in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill. The letter specifically asks the Committee to increase the amount for international food aid by $200 million.
“Higher food prices not only increase the potential for humanitarian disasters; they can also spark political instability and impact U.S. foreign policy,” the Senators wrote.
The Senators added, “Accordingly the United States can serve its national security objectives by fully funding overseas emergency food assistance programs. We encourage the Appropriations Committee to take the appropriate action required to alleviate the expected shortfall in U.S. emergency food assistance programs when it marks up the FY 2008 supplemental budget request.”
According to recent press reports, U.S. Agency for International Development officials estimate that a more than 40% surge in prices for wheat, corn, rice, and other crops over the past six months has resulted in a budget shortfall that is expected to rise to $200 million by the end of this year. Heavy demand in emerging markets like India and China are primarily responsible for the spike in prices.
The letter was written to the Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert C. Byrd (D-WV); Ranking member Thad Cochran (R-MS); Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture Herb Kohl (D-WI); and Ranking member Robert Bennett (R-UT).
The letter was signed by Chris Dodd (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Kerry (D-MA), Joe Biden (D-DE), Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Bill Nelson (D-FL).
To combat increased food prices domestically Senators Casey and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today introduced a bipartisan bill to help move additional food to food banks that have experienced a spike in demand. The legislation would provide funds to agencies to help store, transport and distribute food to food banks, food pantries, emergency shelters and soup kitchens. Currently, many agencies aren’t able to accept additional food due to a lack of resources.
Full text of the letter is below:
Dear Chairman Byrd, Ranking Member Cochran, Chairman Kohl, and Ranking Member Bennett:
Reflecting the generosity and empathy of the American people, the United States historically has played a leading role in providing emergency and non-emergency food assistance to hundreds of millions of people. In 2006, the United States provided $2.1 billion in international food assistance, funding the delivery and distribution of more than three million metric tons of U.S. agricultural commodities to more than 800 million people in 65 nations around the world. More than half of this assistance was provided in the form of emergency food aid, responding to famine, drought, and other humanitarian crises. However, rising food prices have put at risk U.S. emergency food assistance programs for the current fiscal year. We write you today to encourage the Appropriations Committee to correct this likely shortfall through additional funding when it marks up in coming weeks the FY 2008 supplemental appropriations bill.
Under the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act, enacted into law on December 26, 2007, $1.21 billion in discretionary funding were appropriated under the authority of P.L. 480, Title II for international food aid programs. In addition, the Administration has put forth an outstanding supplemental budget request of $350 million to cover specific food emergency contingencies in Darfur and other hot spots. However, it is already clear that the regular FY 2008 budget allocation and the supplemental request, when combined, will not adequately meet the food security needs of the world’s poorest nations, due to rapidly rising crop prices in global markets. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently estimated that global food prices in 2007 soared by an average of 40 percent, owing to rising demand and higher oil prices.
We understand that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials are now reviewing their emergency food programs for the current fiscal year and considering potential cutbacks in planned programs. Such reductions would have spillover impacts on USAID partners, including the United Nations World Food Program and nongovernmental organizations. Without additional funding, the United States will be forced to reduce the number of people overseas it can assist and/or the size of food portions provided.
The rise in food prices will result in a projected $200 million budget shortfall for U.S. emergency food assistance during the current fiscal year. As you prepare to mark up a supplemental appropriations bill to fund the remainder of the President’s Fiscal Year 2008 supplemental budget request, we urge you to consider a plus up of $200 million to the Administration’s $350 million supplemental request to address this shortfall.
Higher food prices not only increase the potential for humanitarian disasters; they can also spark political instability and impact U.S. foreign policy. The sharp rise in prices for staples such as wheat and rice led to flour riots in Pakistan in January while food shortages in Afghanistan have prompted calls for emergency assistance to avert a humanitarian crisis there. Accordingly, the United States can serve its national security objectives by fully funding overseas emergency food assistance programs. We encourage the Appropriations Committee to take the appropriate action required to alleviate the expected shortfall in U.S. emergency food assistance programs when it marks up the FY 2008 supplemental budget request.
Sincerely,
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Senator John Kerry (D-MA)
Senator Joe Biden (D-DE)
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Senator and Bill Nelson (D-FL)
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“Higher food prices not only increase the potential for humanitarian disasters; they can also spark political instability and impact U.S. foreign policy,” the Senators wrote.
The Senators added, “Accordingly the United States can serve its national security objectives by fully funding overseas emergency food assistance programs. We encourage the Appropriations Committee to take the appropriate action required to alleviate the expected shortfall in U.S. emergency food assistance programs when it marks up the FY 2008 supplemental budget request.”
According to recent press reports, U.S. Agency for International Development officials estimate that a more than 40% surge in prices for wheat, corn, rice, and other crops over the past six months has resulted in a budget shortfall that is expected to rise to $200 million by the end of this year. Heavy demand in emerging markets like India and China are primarily responsible for the spike in prices.
The letter was written to the Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert C. Byrd (D-WV); Ranking member Thad Cochran (R-MS); Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture Herb Kohl (D-WI); and Ranking member Robert Bennett (R-UT).
The letter was signed by Chris Dodd (D-CT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Kerry (D-MA), Joe Biden (D-DE), Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Bill Nelson (D-FL).
To combat increased food prices domestically Senators Casey and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today introduced a bipartisan bill to help move additional food to food banks that have experienced a spike in demand. The legislation would provide funds to agencies to help store, transport and distribute food to food banks, food pantries, emergency shelters and soup kitchens. Currently, many agencies aren’t able to accept additional food due to a lack of resources.
Full text of the letter is below:
Dear Chairman Byrd, Ranking Member Cochran, Chairman Kohl, and Ranking Member Bennett:
Reflecting the generosity and empathy of the American people, the United States historically has played a leading role in providing emergency and non-emergency food assistance to hundreds of millions of people. In 2006, the United States provided $2.1 billion in international food assistance, funding the delivery and distribution of more than three million metric tons of U.S. agricultural commodities to more than 800 million people in 65 nations around the world. More than half of this assistance was provided in the form of emergency food aid, responding to famine, drought, and other humanitarian crises. However, rising food prices have put at risk U.S. emergency food assistance programs for the current fiscal year. We write you today to encourage the Appropriations Committee to correct this likely shortfall through additional funding when it marks up in coming weeks the FY 2008 supplemental appropriations bill.
Under the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Act, enacted into law on December 26, 2007, $1.21 billion in discretionary funding were appropriated under the authority of P.L. 480, Title II for international food aid programs. In addition, the Administration has put forth an outstanding supplemental budget request of $350 million to cover specific food emergency contingencies in Darfur and other hot spots. However, it is already clear that the regular FY 2008 budget allocation and the supplemental request, when combined, will not adequately meet the food security needs of the world’s poorest nations, due to rapidly rising crop prices in global markets. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently estimated that global food prices in 2007 soared by an average of 40 percent, owing to rising demand and higher oil prices.
We understand that U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials are now reviewing their emergency food programs for the current fiscal year and considering potential cutbacks in planned programs. Such reductions would have spillover impacts on USAID partners, including the United Nations World Food Program and nongovernmental organizations. Without additional funding, the United States will be forced to reduce the number of people overseas it can assist and/or the size of food portions provided.
The rise in food prices will result in a projected $200 million budget shortfall for U.S. emergency food assistance during the current fiscal year. As you prepare to mark up a supplemental appropriations bill to fund the remainder of the President’s Fiscal Year 2008 supplemental budget request, we urge you to consider a plus up of $200 million to the Administration’s $350 million supplemental request to address this shortfall.
Higher food prices not only increase the potential for humanitarian disasters; they can also spark political instability and impact U.S. foreign policy. The sharp rise in prices for staples such as wheat and rice led to flour riots in Pakistan in January while food shortages in Afghanistan have prompted calls for emergency assistance to avert a humanitarian crisis there. Accordingly, the United States can serve its national security objectives by fully funding overseas emergency food assistance programs. We encourage the Appropriations Committee to take the appropriate action required to alleviate the expected shortfall in U.S. emergency food assistance programs when it marks up the FY 2008 supplemental budget request.
Sincerely,
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Senator John Kerry (D-MA)
Senator Joe Biden (D-DE)
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Senator and Bill Nelson (D-FL)
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