PHA-Exchange> Hunger to Harvest Resolution passes US Congress

[Aviva]

> Hunger to Harvest Resolution passes US Congress
> -----------------------------------------------
> 
> 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 at bread.org
>