WASHINGTON (March 27, 2018) – CARE applauds the introduction of the Food for Peace Modernization Act (FPMA), a bipartisan bill that will provide food assistance for up to 9 million more people each year at no extra cost. This bill was introduced in the House by Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce (R-CA), and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and in the Senate by Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Corker (R-TN), and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE).
“U.S international food aid programs serve a vital purpose,” said David Ray, vice president of policy and advocacy at CARE. “They provide critical, lifesaving assistance to the most vulnerable people, and in the process, build important friendships and partnerships for the U.S. around the world. With the increased flexibility proposed in the Food for Peace Modernization Act, more people in need would benefit at no additional cost. We look forward to working together with Congress to modernize food aid so that America’s food aid programs can make an even bigger impact.”
Since 1954, U.S. food aid has fed more than three billion people in over 150 countries. However, the current food aid system can be slow and inefficient. The Food for Peace Modernization Act will provide the U.S. and its partners with the flexibility to use the right tool at the right time to respond to food crises around the world. In an era of tight budgets and intractable global hunger, CARE applauds the efforts of these Congressmen and Senators to ensure the U.S. is a better steward of taxpayer dollars to meet the immediate needs of hungry families around the world as quickly and efficiently as possible, while simultaneously tackling the underlying causes of long-term hunger and malnutrition.
About CARE:
Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor girls and women because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. Last year, CARE worked in 94 countries and reached more than 80 million people around the world. To learn more, please visit www.care.org.
Media Contact:
Nicole Ellis, +1-202-595-2828, nicole.ellis@care.org