Food Assistance Reform Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
Food Assistance Reform Act of 1979 - Amends the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 to direct the President to: (1) give consideration to expanding markets for local foodstuffs, as well as U.S. agricultural commodities, by increasing demand and stimulating economic growth; and (2) take precautions that credit sales and commodity distributions do not interfere with local food production or marketing. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to safeguard the usual marketing of agricultural commodities of the recipient country, as well as the United States, when entering into agreements for financing agricultural exports. Requires entities distributing commodities to work with and support indigenous institutions. Stipulates that agreements allowing the sale of commodities for foreign currency provide that the currency be used to alleviate the causes of the need for assistance as well as increase the effectiveness of food distribution and the availability of food. Authorizes the value of U.S. agricultural commodities to be applied by the recipient country against its repayment obligation under the Food for Development Program. Stipulates that consideration in carrying out Food for Development projects be given to programs using U.S. agriculture to further economic development and increase food production. Deletes the requirement that a country's utilization proposal include an annual plan for the intended uses of the commodities only for the years such funds are to be disbursed. Permits the value of the commodities or amounts received from the sale of commodities to be used against the recipient country's credit obligation to the Commodity Credit Corporation. Requires recipient countries to include in their reports to the President a description of how the commodities were used. Requires the President to include in the annual report a review of agreements providing for the use of the value of agricultural commodities when the funds or commodities were not fully disbursed the preceding year. Authorizes the export of commodities to meet developmental purposes even if it results in inadequate domestic supplies. Stipulates that in periods of short supply humanitarian concerns will be given priority over developmental purposes. Requires the use of agricultural commodities under this Act for humanitarian and developmental objectives, as well as expansion of U.S. and recipient countries' agricultural commodity markets. Directs the carrying out of country assessments in order to determine the types and quantities of agricultural commodities needed. Declares that there shall be a relatively constant supply of commodities provided over the life of programs conducted under this Act. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to declare that assistance under such Act and the Agriculture and Trade Assistance Act of 1954 emphasize programs to assist developing countries to increase their national food security.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on May 17, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on May 17, 1979: Referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
RICHARD STONE (D-FL) introduced it on May 17, 1979, and 9 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 5 Democrats, 4 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 17, 1979, 17283 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17283 days ago, on May 17, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers