Speech #990007045

It needs to be emphasized that effective Esststance in this crisis will require much more than just the shipments -.of food if the people in these countries are to survive. and then to begin the immediate process of recovery and rehabilitation. The African Famine Relief and Recovery Act of 1985. which Is now before this body. represents a critically needed effort to begin addressing these serious nonfood needs. H.R. 1096 would authorize $175 million in fiscal 1985 including $137.5 million for relief. rehabilitation. and recovery purposes. and $37.5 million for assistance to refugees and displaced persons in Africa. The bill would require that of the $137.5 million authorized for rehabilitation and recovery projects at least 80 percent be used for grants to private and voluntary organizations and international organizations. at least 18 percent be used for emergency health projects. and $2.5 million be used for operating expenses monitoring the distribution of emergency food aid. The bill would require that of the $37.5 million authorized for refugee assistance. at least 54 percent would be for the United Nations Development Program Trust Fund [UNDPJ for the second International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa [ICARA III for projects such as those proposed at that conference to meet immediate development needs. and the remaining amount would be used by the Department of States Bureau for Refugee Programs for emergency relief and recovery efforts. General provisions of the bill include a limitation of assistance to those countries which have suffered from exceptional food supply problems in 1984 and 1985 due to drought and other calamities. a waiver of the socalled Hickenlooper amendment prohibiting aid to countries which have expropriated U.S. property without adequate compensation. a provision for assurance that aid is reaching the famine victims for whom it is intended. and a reporting requirement under which the President is requested to ask Congress for further supplemental disaster assistance funding for fiscal 1985 if needed to meet an appropriate U.S. share of the aid required for African famine relief. This bill will authorize only nonfood aid to the disasterstruck countries of Africa.