ACTION (See What You Can Do below for details)

Urge the President to ensure that funding for Title II food aid, the government program that provides for U.S. agricultural commodities to be donated to address humanitarian needs abroad, is increased by at least $350 million when Congress reconvenes in January and writes the next continuing resolution. Ask the President that he support funding increases for food aid in fiscal year 2004 budget proposal.

BACKGROUND

Congress failed to pass by the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2002 the FY 2003 appropriations bill that funds food aid. Instead, it passed a continuing resolution, or stopgap measure, that is funding nearly all government programs at their FY 2002 levels through at least January 12, 2003. In light of the severe hunger crisis that threatens the lives of more than 34 million Africans, the continuing resolution seriously underfunds food aid programs needed to avert a catastrophic famine on the continent.

The funding levels contained in the continuing resolution fall far below the amounts that have been proposed by both the President and Congress:

The President's own 2003 budget request for the Title II food aid program included a $335 million increase over 2002 levels, which both the House and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committees incorporated in their bills.

The House committee boosted the funding level by $350 million over fiscal year 2002, while the Senate committee provided $335 million more.

During the 2002 fiscal year, Title II food aid funded a total of 2.2 million metric tons of food for poor countries. By 2003, however, Ethiopia and Eritrea alone may need up to 2.5 million metric tons to address their needs, according to estimates from the U.S. Agency for International Development. In addition, drought conditions in the United States have increased the cost of commodities by 20 percent, thus reducing the amount of food that can be purchased with available funds.

CURRENT CRISIS

Projections estimate that even if food aid funding levels are increased by the amounts proposed by the House and Senate, the United States will not be able to adequately respond to this emergency in Africa and simultaneously meet the food needs for new and ongoing development projects. Failing to immediately provide food aid that addresses the growing food crisis in Africa will dangerously destabilize fragile countries that have already been weakened by the AIDS pandemic and years of military conflict.

CRS and other international humanitarian organizations engaged in food aid, as well as the Executive Director of the United Nations' World Food Program, are appealing to governments, citizens' groups, private voluntary organizations, religious institutions and individual citizens to recognize the enormity of the crisis confronting Africa and to join in a massive and urgent appeal for a global response that will marshal the needed resources to avert widespread malnutrition and famine.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Click here to send a message to President Bush urging him to support an increase of at least $350 million in Title II food aid when Congress reconvenes in January and writes the next continuing resolution. This amount reflects the fiscal year 2003 House Agriculture Appropriations Committee allocation. You may also convey this message to the President by calling (202) 456-1414, faxing (202) 456-2461 or e-mailing: president@whitehouse.gov

For more information contact:

Tina Rodousakis, Legislative Network Specialist, 1-800-235-2772 ext. 7462, trodousa@catholicrelief.org

Kathy Brown, Advocacy Manager, 1-800-235-2772 ext 7232. kbrown@catholicrelief.org