Washington Update - Late January 2003
Late January 2003
In This Issue:
• FY03 Appropriations on the Move
• Section 32 Funds Partially Restored
• Hunger Legislation Re-introduced
• Committee Memberships Announced
FY03 Appropriations on the Move
Congress reconvened this month with a new Republican majority and immediately began to tackle the unfinished business of fiscal year (FY) 2003 appropriations. The House quickly passed a blank “shell” bill (House Joint Resolution 2), sent it to the Senate, and then recessed. The Senate, bundling together all 11 uncompleted appropriations bills, filled in the actual content and passed a bill on January 23. HJR 2 will now go directly to a conference committee with the House; no funding decisions will be considered on the House floor. The legislation contains an across-the-board cut on all domestic discretionary programs of approximately two percent, a move that will likely reduce TEFAP storage and processing funds this year.
Section 32 Funds Partially Restored
HJR 2 provides a partial replenishment of the Section 32 account, customs receipts that the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses to purchase surplus commodities for TEFAP, child nutrition, and other food distribution programs. USDA has diverted a total of $937 million in Section 32 funds during the past year to provide drought relief for ranchers. The agriculture section of the appropriations bill repays $250 million to Section 32. USDA has reportedly already back filled another $200 million. And another provision of HJR 2 directs USDA to provide $100 million to fruit and vegetable producers through direct payments, grants to states, or other means. Nonetheless, appropriations staff expects that the drain on Section 32 funding will affect USDA’s ability to purchase bonus commodities this year.
Hunger Legislation Re-introduced
Two bills of interest to the food bank community that were left pending in the 107th Congress have been re-introduced this month. Senator Richard Lugar will try again to provide charitable deduction tax status for food inventory contributions. His bill, S. 85, with nine, bipartisan co-sponsors, has been sent to the Finance Committee. House Resolution (H.R.) 59 from Representative Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) – the Hunters Help the Hungry Act of 2003 – would allow states to use TEFAP administrative funds to pay the costs of processing, transporting, and distributing donated wild game.
Committee Memberships Announced
The Senate Agriculture Committee this session will have an 11-10 Republican majority, according to assignments made earlier this month. Four newly-elected Republicans will join the Committee – Jim Talent (MO), Saxby Chambliss (GA), Elizabeth Dole (NC), and Norm Coleman (MN). They will be joined by ongoing members Thad Cochran (MS), Richard Lugar (IN), Mitch McConnell (KY), Pat Roberts (KS), Peter Fitzgerald (IL), and Mike Crapo (ID). Charles Grassley (IA) also rejoins the Committee after a two-year absence.
Democrats lost a seat on the Committee, but the death of Paul Wellstone (MN) allowed them to retain the same members without any dislocations. Democrats on the Agriculture Committee are: Tom Harkin (IA), Patrick Leahy (VT), Kent Conrad (ND), Tom Daschle (SD), Max Baucus (MT), Blanche Lambert-Lincoln (AR), Zell Miller (GA), Debbie Stabenow (MI), Ben Nelson (NE), and Mark Dayton (MN). Subcommittee assignments have not yet been announced.
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WASHINGTON UPDATE is published for the TEFAP Alliance by Weinberg & Vauthier Consulting, 419 West Broad Street, Suite 204, Falls Church, VA 22046; telephone: (703) 532-5700; fax: (703) 532-5780; email: zyweinberg@earthlink.net.
Washington Update
Friday, January 24, 2003
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