,,ii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bdba ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #c1 #bjad,mr4 ,corker 7for himself and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea et seq47 to reform the ,food for ,peace ,program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,food for ,peace ,reform ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,food for ,peace ,program ,title ,,xii of chapter #b of part ,i of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bbbj;a et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating section #cjj 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bbbj;e7 as section #cjj;,a2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #bii 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bbbj;d7 the following3 #cjj4 ,food for ,peace ,program 7a7 ,establishment ,there is established in the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development 7referred to in this section as the ,agency7 a food assistance program1 which shall be known as the ,food for ,peace ,program4 7b7 ,emergency assistance ,notwithstanding any provision of law that prohibits or otherwise unduly restricts the ,administrator of the ,agency 7referred to in this ,act as the ,administrator7 from carrying out the activities authorized under this section1 the ,administrator1 under the ,food for ,peace ,program1 is authorized to provide assistance1 consistent with this section1 including through the provision of agricultural commodities produced in the ,united ,states or acquired through local or regional procurement 7including products derived from agricultural commodities71 funds1 and vouchers to meet emergency food needs arising from manmade and natural disasters1 including famines and other food crises4 7c7 ,nonemergency assistance 7#a7 ,objectives ,notwithstanding section #eecje of title #df1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,administrator1 under the ,food for ,peace ,program1 is authorized to provide assistance1 directly or through eligible organizations described in paragraph 7#b71 and consistent with this section1 including through the provision of agricultural commodities produced in the ,united ,states or acquired through local or regional procurement 7including products derived from agricultural commodities71 funds1 and vouchers to carry out nonemergency food security programs in foreign countries to achieve any of the following objectives3 7,a7 ,combating malnutrition1 especially in infants1 children1 and mothers1 including through appropriate health interventions directly related to alleviating or preventing malnutrition4 7,b7 ,addressing hunger needs4 7,c7 ,mitigating food crises1 particularly with respect to vulnerable populations4 7,d7 ,promoting resilient food security through integrated and holistic programs that-- 7i7 improve agricultural productivity2 7ii7 diversify incomes for vulnerable populations within the agricultural and other related sectors to reduce food insecurity2 7iii7 enhance community and other development activities significantly linked to agricultural activities2 and 7iv7 improve environmental practices4 7#b7 ,eligible organizations ,an organization is eligible to receive assistance under paragraph 7#a7 if the organization is-- 7,a7 a private voluntary organization or cooperative that is registered with the ,administrator2 7,b7 directly supervised by an organization described in subparagraph 7,a72 or 7,c7 an intergovernmental organization1 such as the ,world ,food ,program4 7d7 ,minimum funding for nonemergency assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 of the amounts made available to carry out emergency and nonemergency food assistance programs under this section1 not less than #bj percent nor more than #cj percent shall be expended for each fiscal year to carry out subsection 7c74 7#b7 ,minimum level ,the amount made available to carry out subsection 7c7 shall not be less than #cge1jjj1jjj for any fiscal year4 7#c7 ,waiver ,the ,administrator may waive the requirements under paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 after certifying to the appropriate congressional committees that-- 7,a7 7i7 additional funds are required to provide food assistance to meet an urgent humanitarian need2 and 7ii7 other sources of funds authorized for use in emergency situations have already been obligated2 7,b7 additional funds subject to the waiver under this paragraph are-- 7i7 first paid from unobligated funds2 and 7ii7 only paid from obligated funds if the additional funds are necessary to meet an urgent and compelling humanitarian need2 and 7,c7 if the urgent humanitarian need is reasonably expected to continue beyond the fiscal year during which the need began1 the budget request of the ,president for the subsequent fiscal year will include a request for emergency food assistance funding authorized under subsection 7b7 to account for the additional funds required to address the need4 7#d7 ,replenishment ,if the ,administrator waives the requirement described in paragraph 7#a71 pursuant to paragraph 7#c71 the ,administrator may expend funds authorized under section #cjb of the ,agricultural ,act of #aihj 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agcf;f-#a7 in an amount equal to the total amount of funds subject to the waiver to provide assistance under subsection 7c74 7e7 ,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 7c7 shall include-- 7#a7 a description of the proposed program2 7#b7 a description of the manner in which the proposed program would address #a or more of the objectives described in subsection 7c7 in the region in which the proposed program is to be implemented2 7#c7 the amount of funds requested2 7#d7 a description of any agricultural commodities and products derived from agricultural commodities that would be used to implement the proposed program2 7#e7 a description of the manner in which the organization would work with indigenous institutions and communities to carry out the proposed program2 7#f7 a description of the proposed output impact and other indicators that would be used to-- 7,a7 monitor the progress of the proposed program2 and 7,b7 assist in determining whether the activities funded under the proposed program are achieving program objectives2 7#g7 a description of proposed baseline data-- 7,a7 that would be collected1 to the maximum extent practicable2 and 7,b7 against which indicators can be measured2 and 7#h7 a plan for measuring and reporting progress towards achieving program objectives1 outcomes1 and other indicators4 7f7 ,food aid consultative group 7#a7 ,establishment ,there is established the ,food ,aid ,consultative ,group 7referred to in this section as the ,group71 which-- 7,a7 shall meet regularly2 and 7,b7 may organize into subcommittees1 as appropriate1 to review and address issues concerning-- 7i7 the effectiveness of the regulations and procedures that govern food assistance programs established and implemented under this section2 and 7ii7 the implementation of other provisions of this section that may involve eligible organizations described in subsection 7c74 7#b7 ,membership ,the ,group shall be composed of-- 7,a7 the ,administrator2 7,b7 the ,under ,secretary of ,agriculture for ,farm and ,foreign ,agricultural ,services2 7,c7 the ,inspector ,general of the ,agency2 7,d7 a representative of each private voluntary organization and cooperative participating in a program under this section1 or receiving planning assistance funds from the ,agency to establish programs under this section2 7,e7 representatives from ,african1 ,asian1 and ,latin ,american indigenous nongovernmental organizations determined appropriate by the ,administrator2 7,f7 representatives from agricultural producer groups in the ,united ,states2 7,g7 representatives from the ,united ,states agricultural processing sector involved in providing agricultural commodities for programs under this section2 7,h7 representatives from the maritime transportation sector involved in transporting agricultural commodities overseas for programs under this section2 and 7,i7 nutrition science experts from academia and nongovernmental organizations4 7#c7 ,chairperson ,the ,administrator shall be the chairperson of the ,group4 7#d7 ,consultations ,not later than #de days before a proposed regulation1 handbook1 or guideline implementing this section1 or a proposed significant revision to a regulation1 handbook1 or guideline implementing this section1 becomes final1 the ,administrator shall provide the proposal to the ,group for review and comment4 7#e7 ,coordination and oversight 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall work within the ,group to take the actions described in subsection 7,b7 to increase coordination and oversight of food assistance programs established and implemented under this ,act1 with a primary focus on improving quality control and cost effectiveness4 7,b7 ,actions described ,the actions referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 are the following3 7i7 ,explore and test options for improved packaging and storage of products to improve shelf life1 promote recommended usage by intended beneficiaries1 and oversee field-testing of products4 7ii7 ,work closely with the ,department of ,agriculture1 to undertake reforms in commodity acquisition and supply chain management1 drawing on best commercial practices for vendor selection1 quality assurance standards1 overall management of the supply chain1 and auditing of food aid commodity suppliers4 7iii7 ,develop mechanisms and partnerships to facilitate more private sector development and innovation in food aid products1 packaging1 and delivery in order to improve the cost-effectiveness1 nutritional quality1 and overall acceptability of the product4 7iv7 ,provide guidance to implementing partners on whether and how best to use food aid commodities1 such as new specialized food products1 including guidance on targeting strategies to ensure that the products reach their intended recipients4 7v7 ,work to strengthen the monitoring of commodity quality1 as appropriate1 by identifying and tracking key quality indicators to determine the full extent of quality problems1 including emerging concerns4 7vi7 ,establish processes and system-wide protocols for effective monitoring and evaluation of impact1 to inform improved program design1 and to address improvements in cost-effectiveness4 7#f7 ,advisory committee act ,the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47 shall not apply to the ,group4 7g7 ,administrative provisions 7#a7 ,food aid quality 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall use funds made available to carry out the ,food for ,peace ,program authorized under this section-- 7i7 to assess the types and quality of agricultural commodities and products donated for food aid2 7ii7 to adjust products and formulations 7including the potential introduction of new fortificants and products7 as necessary to cost-effectively meet nutrient needs of target populations2 7iii7 to test prototypes2 7iv7 to adopt new specifications1 or to improve existing specifications1 for micronutrient fortified food aid products1 based on the latest developments in food and nutrition science1 and in coordination with other international partners2 7v7 to develop new program guidance to facilitate improved matching of products to purposes having nutritional intent1 in coordination with other international partners2 7vi7 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 #a year1 in coordination with other international partners2 and 7vii7 to evaluate1 in appropriate settings and as necessary1 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 groups1 such as pregnant and lactating mothers1 and children younger than #e years of age4 7,b7 ,administration ,in carrying out subparagraph 7,a71 the ,administrator-- 7i7 shall consult with independent entities with proven expertise in food aid commodity quality enhancements2 7ii7 may enter into contracts to obtain the services of the entities described in clause 7i72 and 7iii7 shall consult with the ,food ,aid ,consultative ,group established under subsection 7f74 7#b7 ,freight procurement ,notwithstanding division ,c of subtitle ,i of title #da1 ,united ,states ,code1 or other similar provisions of law relating to the making or performance of ,federal ,government contracts1 ocean transportation authorized under this section may be procured on the basis of full and open competitive procedures4 ,resulting contracts may contain such terms and conditions as the ,administrator determines to be necessary and appropriate4 7#c7 ,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-- 7,a7 result in a substantial disincentive to1 or interference with1 the domestic production or marketing of agricultural commodities in the recipient country2 or 7,b7 have a disruptive impact on the agricultural producers or the local economy of the recipient country4 7#d7 ,effect on sales of ,united ,states agricultural commodities ,in carrying out the ,food for ,peace ,program under this section1 the ,administrator shall take reasonable precautions to avoid displacing any sales of ,united ,states agricultural commodities that the ,administrator determines would otherwise occur4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated1 for fiscal year #bjad and each fiscal year thereafter1 #b1djj1jjj1jjj1 which shall be used to carry out the ,food for ,peace ,program established under this section4 4 #c4 ,changes to existing law 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,ii of the ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agba et seq47 is repealed4 7b7 ,funding ,funds made available to carry out title ,,ii of the ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agba et seq47 that are unobligated as of the day before the date of enactment of this ,act are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of carrying out section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa1 as amended by section #b4 7c7 ,conforming amendments 7#a7 ,section #daf7;b7 of the ,agricultural ,act of #aidi 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #adca7;b77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a71 in the first sentence1 by striking titles ,,ii and ,,iii of the ,food for ,peace ,act and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa and title ,,iii of the ,food for ,peace ,act2 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#g77;,d77iii71 in the second sentence1 by striking titles ,,ii and ,,iii of the ,food for ,peace ,act and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa and title ,,iii of the ,food for ,peace ,act4 7#b7 ,section #cbjf7;a77#d77;,a77 of the ,food1 ,conservation1 and ,energy ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agbf;c7a77#d77;,a7 is amended by inserting 7as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the ,food for ,peace ,reform ,act of #bjad7 before 2 and4 7#c7 ,section #djg7;f77#a77;,b7 of the ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agcf;a7f77#a77;,b77 is amended-- 7,a7 in clause 7iv71 by inserting and after the semicolon at the end2 7,b7 by striking clauses 7v7 and 7vi72 and 7,c7 by redesignating clause 7vii7 as clause 7v74 7#d7 ,section #cjb of the ,bill ,emerson ,humanitarian ,trust ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agcf;f-#a7 is amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b77#b77;,b77i71 by striking ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afia et seq47 and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa2 7,b7 in subsection 7c77#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,i7 in clause 7i71 by striking title ,,ii of the ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agba et seq47 and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa2 and 7,,ii7 in clause 7ii71 by striking title ,,ii of that ,act and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking title ,,ii of that ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agba et seq47 and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa2 and 7iii7 in subparagraph 7,d71 by striking under section #bjd7;a77#c7 of the ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #agbd7;a77#c772 7,c7 in subsection 7e77#a71 by striking ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afia et seq47 and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa2 and 7,d7 in subsection 7f77#b77;,a71 by striking ,food for ,peace ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afia et seq47 and inserting section #cjj of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa4 #d4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of the ,congress that the ,united ,states ,merchant ,marine-- 7#a7 is a critical component of our ,nation's military and economic security2 7#b7 consists of a fleet of private1 merchant ships that are registered in the ,united ,states and provide domestic and international transportation for passengers and cargo2 and 7#c7 with the dedicated crews of mariners that operate the fleet1 is an essential part of defense capacity in times of peace and in times of war4