Dale Bumpers: “the bill, as reported by the Appropriations Committee, already cuts title I of Public Law 480 by 10 percent. Title III…”

“the bill, as reported by the Appropriations Committee, already cuts title I of Public Law 480 by 10 percent. Title III is cut by 16 percent. The committee was very reluctant even to make these cuts, considering that this program is very important for feeding the world's hungry people. Currently, we are seeing increased concern about additional famines in Africa. The Public Law 480 program is a unique foreign aid program which, for nearly 50 years, has helped hungry and malnourished people in poor countries, while directly benefiting U.S. agriculture and commerce. Nearly all of the funds are spent to purchase U.S. commodities and transportation services. Title I provides for the sale of commodities on concessional terms to food deficit countries that are potential markets or emerging democracies and title III provides for the donation of commodities to the poorest countries. The Public Law 480 program level was already cut by $101 million in the 1994 agriculture appropriations bill. Further reductions would limit the U.S. ability to meet emergency food needs abroad, and arguably, to fulfill a humane duty by this Nation to help feed people in nations much less fortunate than we. The proposal to cut titles I and III by an additional 20 percent would result in a total reduction in fiscal year 1994 Public Law 480 foreign food assistance of $155.3 million.”