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Rising food prices and the economic downturn in our country has severely impacted the poorest people in the world--in many cases, countries who contribute to our country's own prosperity and consider themselves U.S. allies.

Earlier this year, Sen. Smith partnered with Sen. Durbin (D-IL) to restore funding for the international affairs budget for programs that are focused on poverty reduction in poor countries. Will Mr. Merkley support better U.S. policies and funding for proven, effective foreign assistance programs?

Does Mr. Merkley agree with the 9/11 commission that recommends international development as a strategy to fight global terrorism? Nearly half the world's population lives on less than $2 a day. Does Mr. Merkley believe that the United States have a moral responsibility to help them? If so, how?

posted 4 years, 6 months ago
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The 2008 Farm Bill is a mixed bag, and Rep. Blumenauer's vote reveals the complexity of the legislation. Bread for the World views the farm bill through the lens of hunger. How do our food & farm policies affect hungry and poor people, here in the U.S. and around the world?

No one can dispute the record increases for federal nutrition programs. The improvements to TEFAP, the Food Stamp Program, fruit & vegetable pilot programs will provide desperately needed relief for American families struggling to put food on the table as prices increase exponentially.

At the same time, the farm bill is lousy for hungry and poor people overseas. It does nothing to help the cotton farmers in Africa, who cannot compete with the artificially low prices of subsidized U.S. cotton. For 10 million people whose livelihood directly depends on cotton, our farm policies make it that much harder for them to escape the cycle of hunger and poverty. These are people who make $1 - $2 a day.

Consider the McGovern-Dole school lunch program, which has fed and educated millions of kids in developing countries. The Senate severely decreased the $840 million proposed by the house to $84 million--all amid a global hunger crisis.

At the same time, Congress has instituted yet another commodity program, which will primarily benefit crop farmers in a few states. That very fact is evidence that the commodity programs defended by Big Ag are not really working after all.

So, this farm bill represents half a loaf for hungry people. Bread for the World, a national Christian citizens' movement against hunger, cannot in good conscience either support or oppose the farm bill passed by Congress.

Many would say that this farm bill is "the best we can do." We as Americans can do better.

People of faith, environmentalists, aid groups, taxpayer groups, nutrition advocates and many others will not be daunted by the lack of reform in the commodity title of this farm bill. As Speaker of the House Pelosi said this week, "this will be the last time the farm bill looks like this." If Americans continue to rise up, we can make it happen.

Shawnda Hines, from Bread for the World's office in Portland, Oregon
www.bread.org

posted 5 years ago
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