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My guess is the M-D Program will be ok via the FY'18 spending process.However, we have our work cut out for us on other significant accounts, including PL 480 and State/AID accounts.

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On Mar 17, 2017, at 7:37 AM, Bonnie E. Raquet <beraquet@aol.com<mailto:beraquet@aol.com>> wrote:

Thank you, Rick, for this prompt update following the President's budget proposal. And, thanks to the team and to board members who are working hard to protect the funding for these critical needs!

Bonnie E. Raquet
Mobile: (612) 562-0380
beraquet@aol.com<mailto:beraquet@aol.com>
From: RLeach@wfpusa.org<mailto:RLeach@wfpusa.org>
Sent: March 16, 2017 7:43 PM
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Subject: Update and WFP USA Statement on the President's FY18 Budget


Dear Members of the Board,
Today, the President released his FY18 budget. Following is an analysis of the FY18 budget relative to the work of WFP and an update on the status of the FY17 appropriations. As noted below, we are confident that FY17 funding levels will remain strong. However, we will need to overcome challenges relating to the FY18 funding. In spite of the administration’s budget, I am confident that we will overcome these challenges and maintain deep support within the Congress for the FY18 appropriations (and will seek to build understanding/support within the administration for these programs, as well).

Fiscal Year 18 Budget

President Trump today released his first budget-related document entitled “America First – A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again”. Less than a budget, it is more a summary of proposed changes in federal spending tied mostly to campaign pledges and includes shifts from non-defense to defense activities, evidenced primarily by a shift of $54 billion into defense.

Of primary importance to WFP USA is the proposed elimination of the McGovern-Dole program and unspecified reductions to Food for Peace and the Emergency Food Security Program. While the Blueprint narrative speaks to continued “significant spending” on food aid, those programs are included in State or USDA mission areas where funding is reduced by $10.9 billion (28.7%) and $4.7 billion (20.7%) respectively. Further, the narrative speaks to the U.S. providing a “fair share”, which can largely be construed as a reduction to levels more in line with other donor countries.

It is noteworthy that the shifts in funding from non-defense to defense spending would violate existing provisions of the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA), and the Blueprint calls for the requisite amendment to that Act. However, enactment of such a provision would likely require 60 votes in the Senate, which would be highly unlikely.


Fiscal Year 2017

Fiscal Year 2017 began on October 1, 2016, and has operated on a series of continuing resolutions, the most recent of which will expire on April 28, 2017.
Programs of primary importance are being conferenced based on the following funding levels (including OCO):

FY 16

FY 17 House

FY 17 Senate

Food for Peace

1,466.00

1,466.00

1,600.00

McGovern-Dole

201.60

201.60

201.60

International Disaster Assistance

2,794.20

2,794.20

2,394.20


Currently, House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees are working to resolve differences and are under instruction to complete their work, if possible, by March 29th. We remain hopeful of positive outcomes.


In the WFP USA Statement on the President’s FY18 Budget, we emphasize the longstanding American tradition and deep bipartisan support for addressing global hunger and the importance of continued US leadership (a copy of the Statement is attached and available on our website: https://wfpusa.org/news-releases/world-food-program-usas-statement-on-the-presidents-fy18-budget/ The Statement is being distributed on the Hill, through various outlets and with partners.

The release of the Budget and our Statement also provided an opportunity to increase understanding about the unprecedented levels of displacement and humanitarian needs at the present time. As we noted in an earlier message to you, as many as 20 million people may face famine in four countries over the next six months as a consequence of conflict and natural disasters: Yemen, northeastern Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan – in addition to a drought in East Africa. Through a combination of outreach on the Hill, op-eds by WFP USA, preparation of statements for the Congressional record and convening of public policy events, we are working to get these messages out and expand our base of support.


In this spirit, I am pleased to share an op-ed, we wrote for Rep. Adam Kinzinger, (R–Illinois), an Air Force veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The piece was published yesterday on the anniversary of the Syria conflict and highlights the importance of humanitarian food assistance as a stabilizing force in the region: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/324026-where-hunger-is-a-weapon-of-war-food-fights-back

Two other pieces from the latter part of February (which were shared by Erin on the 27th of February):


· An oped which I wrote appeared in The Hill<http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/321278-famine-in-south-sudan-a-turning-point-in-global-food> at the end of February, calling on the global community to step to meet the alarming food assistance needs, especially as we navigate the budget process this year.


· The first field hearing for the 2018 farm bill took place last Thursday, Feb 23 in Manhattan, KS – a town just 130 miles from where Senator Dole was born and raised. We worked with Senator Dole and placed an oped by Senator Dole in the Kansas City Star<http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article134236464.html> last week highlighting the impact the Farm Bill will have not just on American growers and consumers but the world’s hungry people.


Thanks, as always, for your support,
All the best,
Rick


Richard Leach
President & CEO

World Food Program USA
1725 Eye Street NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20006
T 202.627.3737
F 202.530.1698
rleach@wfpusa.org<mailto:jcorum@wfpusa.org>