| S 1036 IS
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1036
To amend the Agricultural
Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to establish an international
food for education and child nutrition program.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED
STATES
June 13, 2001
Mr. HARKIN (for himself, Mr.
LEAHY, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. DEWINE, Mr. DORGAN, Mr. DASCHLE, Mr. KOHL, Mr. LUGAR,
Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. CONRAD, Ms. LANDRIEU, and Mr. DAYTON) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To amend the Agricultural
Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to establish an international
food for education and child nutrition program.
Be it enacted by the
Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as
the `George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for Education and Child
Nutrition Act of 2001'.
SEC. 2. INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR
EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION.
Title IV of the Agricultural
Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1731 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 417. INTERNATIONAL FOOD
FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION.
`(a) DEFINITIONS- In this
section:
`(1) ELIGIBLE COMMODITY-
The term `eligible commodity' means--
`(A) an agricultural commodity;
and
`(B) a vitamin or mineral
produced--
`(i) in the United States;
or
`(ii) in limited situations
determined by the Secretary, outside the United States.
`(2) ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATION-
The term `eligible organization' means a private voluntary organization,
cooperative, or intergovernmental organization, as determined by the Secretary.
`(3) PROGRAM- The term `Program'
means the International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program
established under subsection (b)(1).
`(4) RECIPIENT COUNTRY-
The term `recipient country' means 1 or more developing countries covered
by a plan approved under subsection (d)(1)(A)(ii).
`(b) PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT-
`(1) IN GENERAL- In cooperation
with other countries, the Secretary shall establish, and the Department
of Agriculture shall act as the lead Federal agency for, the International
Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, through which the Secretary
shall provide to eligible organizations eligible commodities and technical
and nutritional assistance for pre-school and school-age children in connection
with education programs to improve food security and enhance educational
opportunities for pre-school age and primary-school age children in recipient
countries.
`(2) ADMINISTRATION- In
carrying out the Program, the Secretary may use the personnel and other
resources of the Food and Nutrition Service and other agencies of the Department
of Agriculture.
`(c) PURCHASE AND DONATION
OF ELIGIBLE COMMODITIES AND PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Under the
Program, the Secretary shall enter into agreements with eligible organizations--
`(A) to purchase, acquire,
and donate eligible commodities to eligible organizations; and
`(B) to provide technical
and nutritional assistance.
`(2) OTHER DONOR COUNTRIES-
Consistent with the Program, the Secretary shall encourage other donor
countries, directly or through eligible organizations--
`(A) to donate goods and
funds to recipient countries; and
`(B) to provide technical
and nutritional assistance to recipient countries.
`(3) PRIVATE SECTOR- The
President and the Secretary are urged to encourage the support and active
involvement of the private sector, foundations, and other individuals and
organizations in programs and activities assisted under this section.
`(d) PLANS AND AGREEMENTS-
`(1) IN GENERAL- To be eligible
to receive eligible commodities and assistance under this section, an eligible
organization shall--
`(A)(i) submit to the Secretary
a plan that describes the manner in which;
`(I) the eligible commodities
and assistance will be used in 1 or more recipient
countries to meet the requirements
of this section; and
`(II) the role of the government
in the recipient countries in carrying out the plan; and
`(ii) obtain the approval
of the Secretary for the plan; and
`(B) enter into an agreement
with the Secretary establishing the terms and conditions for use of the
eligible commodities and assistance.
`(2) MULTIYEAR AGREEMENTS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- An agreement
under paragraph (1)(B) may provide for eligible commodities and assistance
on a multiyear basis.
`(B) LOCAL CAPACITY- The
Secretary shall facilitate, to the extent the Secretary determines is appropriate,
the development of agreements under paragraph (1)(B) that, on a multiyear
basis, strengthen local capacity for implementing and managing assistance
programs.
`(3) STREAMLINED PROCEDURES-
The Secretary shall develop streamlined procedures for the development,
review, and approval of plans submitted under paragraph (1)(A) by eligible
organizations that demonstrate organizational capacity and the ability
to develop, implement, monitor, and report on, and provide accountability
for, activities conducted under this section.
`(4) GRADUATION- An agreement
under paragraph (1)(B) shall include provisions--
`(A)(i) to sustain the benefits
to the education, enrollment, and attendance of children in schools in
the targeted communities when the provision of commodities and assistance
to a recipient country under the Program terminates; and
`(ii) to estimate the period
of time required for the recipient country or eligible organization to
provide assistance described in subsection (b)(1) without additional assistance
provided under this section; or
`(B) to otherwise provide
other long-term benefits to the targeted populations.
`(e) EFFECTIVE USE OF ELIGIBLE
COMMODITIES- The Secretary shall ensure that each eligible organization--
`(1) uses eligible commodities
made available under this section effectively, in the areas of greatest
need, and in a manner that promotes the purposes of this section;
`(2) in using assistance
provided under this section, assesses and takes into account the nutritional
and educational needs of participating pre-school age and primary-school
age children;
`(3) to the maximum extent
practicable, uses the lowest cost means of delivering eligible commodities
and providing other assistance authorized under the Program;
`(4) works with recipient
countries and indigenous institutions or groups in recipient countries
to design and carry out mutually acceptable food and education assistance
programs for participating pre-school age and primary-school age children;
`(5) monitors and reports
on the distribution or sale of eligible commodities provided under this
section using methods that will facilitate accurate and timely reporting;
`(6) periodically evaluates
the effectiveness of the Program, including evaluation of whether the food
security and education purposes can be sustained in a recipient country
if the recipient country is gradually terminated from the assistance in
accordance with subsection (d)(4); and
`(7) considers means of
improving the operation of the Program by the eligible organization and
ensuring and improving the quality of the eligible commodities provided
under this section, including improvement of the nutrient or micronutrient
content of the eligible commodities.
`(f) INTERAGENCY COORDINATION
ON POLICY GOALS- The Secretary shall consult and collaborate with other
Federal agencies having appropriate expertise in order to provide assistance
under this section to promote equal access to education to improve the
quality of education, combat exploitative child labor, and advance broad-based
sustainable economic development in recipient countries.
`(1) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding
subsection (d)(1)(A), with the approval of the Secretary, an eligible organization
may--
`(A) acquire funds or goods
by selling or bartering eligible commodities provided under this section
within the recipient country or countries near the recipient country; and
`(B) use the funds or goods
to improve food security and enhance educational opportunities for pre-school
age and primary-school age children within the recipient country, including
implementation and administrative costs incurred in carrying out this subsection.
`(2) PAYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS- An eligible organization that receives payment for administrative
costs under paragraph (1) shall not be eligible to receive payment for
the same administrative costs under subsection (h)(3).
`(h) ELIGIBLE COSTS- Subject
to subsections (d)(1) and (m), the Secretary shall pay all or part of--
`(1) the costs and charges
described in paragraphs (1) through (5) and (7) of section 406(b) with
respect to an eligible commodity;
`(2) the internal transportation,
storage, and handling costs incurred in moving the eligible commodity,
if the Secretary determines that--
`(A) payment of the costs
is appropriate; and
`(B) the recipient country
is a low income, net food-importing country that--
`(i) meets the poverty criteria
established by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
for Civil Works Preference; or
`(ii) has a national government
that is committed to or is working toward, through a national action plan,
the World Declaration on Education for All convened in 1990 in Jomtien,
Thailand, and the follow-up Dakar Framework for Action of the World Education
Forum in 2000; and
`(3) the projected costs
of an eligible organization for administration, sales, monitoring, and
technical assistance under a plan approved by the Secretary under subsection
(d)(1)(A) (including an itemized budget), taking into consideration, as
determined by the Secretary--
`(A) the projected amount
of such costs itemized by category; and
`(B) the projected amount
of assistance received from other donors.
`(i) DISPLACEMENT- Subsections
(a)(2), (b), and (h) of section 403 shall apply to this section.
`(j) AUDITS AND TRAINING-
The Secretary shall take such actions as are necessary to support, monitor,
audit, and provide necessary training in proper management under the Program.
`(k) ANNUAL REPORT- The
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate an annual report that describes--
`(1) the results of the
implementation of the Program during the applicable year, including the
impact on the enrollment, attendance, and performance of children in primary
schools targeted under the Program; and
`(2) the level of commitments
by, and the potential for obtaining additional goods and assistance from,
other countries for the purposes of this section during subsequent years.
`(l) INDEPENDENCE OF AUTHORITIES-
Each authority granted under this section shall be in addition to, and
not in lieu of, any authority granted to the Secretary or the Commodity
Credit Corporation under any other provision of law-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Subject
to paragraphs (2) and (3), for each of fiscal years 2002 through 2006,
the Secretary shall use the funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity
Credit Corporation to carry out this section.
`(2) FISCAL YEAR LIMITATIONS-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Subject
to subparagraph (B), the amount of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation
uses to carry out this section shall not exceed--
`(i) $300,000,000 for fiscal
year 2002; or
`(ii) $400,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2003 through 2006.
`(B) PARTICIPATION BY DONOR
COUNTRIES- If the Secretary determines for any of fiscal years 2004 through
2006 that there is adequate participation in the Program by donor countries,
in lieu of the maximum amount authorized for that fiscal year under subparagraph
(A)(ii), the amount of funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation uses to
carry out this section shall not exceed--
`(i) $525,000,000 for fiscal
year 2004;
`(ii) $625,000,000 for fiscal
year 2005; or
`(iii) $750,000,000 for
fiscal year 2006.
`(3) USE LIMITATIONS- Of
the funds provided under paragraph (2), the Secretary may use to carry
out subsection (h)(3), not more than--
`(A) $40,000,000 for fiscal
year 2002;
`(B) $50,000,000 for fiscal
year 2003;
`(C) $60,000,000 for fiscal
year 2004;
`(D) $70,000,000 for fiscal
year 2005; or
`(E) $80,000,000 for fiscal
year 2006.'.
SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) Section 401(a) of the
Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1731(a))
is amended by inserting `(other than section 417)' after `this Act' each
place it appears.
(b) Section 404(b)(4) of
the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C.
1734(b)(4)) is amended by inserting `with respect to agreements entered
into under this Act (other than section 417),' after `(4)'.
(c) Section 406(d) of the
Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1736(d))
is amended by inserting `(other than section 417)' after `this Act'.
(d) Section 408 of the Agricultural
Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C. 1736b) is amended
by inserting `(other than section 417)' after `this Act'.
(e) Section 412(b)(1) of
the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (7 U.S.C.
1736f(b)(1)) is amended by inserting `(other than section 417)' after `this
Act' each place it appears.
END
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