Hunger to Harvest Resolution passes US Congress
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Dear Friends of Africa:
US House of Representatives just passed the "Africa: Hunger to Har-
vest Resolution" (H. Con. Res. 102). The companion measure passed the
Senate last July (SConRes 53). The House has substituted the somewhat
stronger Senate language requesting the Bush Administration to pre-
sent Congress with a 5-year and 10-year plan to reduce poverty and
hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In his remarks on the floor of the House, Rep. Payne noted that pas-
sage of this resolution signalled Congressional support the "New
Partnership for African Development", the comprehensive, African-led,
strategy brought forward under the leadership of the Presidents of
South Africa, Nigeria, Senegal and Algeria.
The bipartisan bill was introduced by Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa) and
Rep. Don Payne (D-New Jersey). 154 other members joined in cosponsor-
ing the measure in response to a year-long national grassroots lobby-
ing effort by Bread for the World members and partner organizations.
Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) and Patrick Leahy D-Vermont) intro-
duced the Senate bill.
BILL SUMMARY:
Hunger to Harvest Resolution: A Decade of Concern for Africa - Ex-
presses the sense of Congress that:
(1) the United States should declare "A Decade of Concern for Africa"
and commit to increased levels of effective, poverty-focused develop-
ment assistance to sub- Saharan Africa until significant progress is
made toward reversing current levels of hunger and poverty;
(2) the President should work with the heads of other advanced indus-
trial and sub-Saharan African countries, and with United States and
sub-Saharan African private voluntary and other civic organizations,
to increase development assistance to sub- Saharan Africa;
(3) Congress should undertake a multi-year commitment with other do-
nors to provide the resources necessary to cut hunger by one-half in
that region;
(4) such funding should support both bilateral and multilateral pov-
erty-focused development efforts; and
(5) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development should annually submit to Congress a progress report.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Throughout Fiscal Year 2003 U.S. budget cycle, Bread for the World
and its coalition partners are determined to work with Congress and
the Administration to begin to realize the goals of the Hunger to
Harvest resolution. We will be actively pushing for new funding for
poverty-focused development accounts.
We are also working with partners around the world to insist that in-
creased long-term development assistance for Sub-Saharan Africa must
be major outcome of the next G-8 Summit of the world's richest coun-
tries.
Thanks to everyone that continues to work on this campaign.
Friends of Africa
mailto:africa@bread.org
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