Doug Bereuter: “this amendment and recommendation should be noncontroversial, and, in fact, they are consistent with the House Committee…”

“this amendment and recommendation should be noncontroversial, and, in fact, they are consistent with the House Committee on Agriculture's general food and trade goals. This amendment is in compliance with overall budget guidelines. It is not our intent, for example, to amend the House Committee on Agriculture recommendations on the support enhancement program or the market promotion program. Although we have indicated earlier we support full EEP funding to the full Uruguay round agreement allowed levels, we recognize the budget considerations require self-imposed caps. So we have accepted the advice of the Committee on Agriculture. Nevertheless, we give authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to spend agriculture export promotion funds more wisely. If the Secretary does not need all the money we provide for EEP, the Secretary can designate that it be used for the highly successful Foreign Market Development Program or even U.S. food assistance. To make sure that the U.S. Department of Agriculture remains focused focused on increasing U.S. agricultural exports, we establish realistic goals and require concrete trade strategies to meet those goals. To guarantee that the United States remains an innovative leader in the delivery of food assistance, we maintain our commitments of food assistance to the world's most deserving. However, we do not just stop with minimum tonnages of food assistance.”