S 4731 — SAFE Act

Summary

Securing Allies Food in Emergencies Act or the SAFE Act This bill requires the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop a strategy for averting a global food security crisis. The bill also relaxes a law requiring that certain goods be transported by U.S. vessels. The bill authorizes USAID to procure life-saving food aid commodities to provide emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable populations in countries experiencing acute food insecurity. For certain commodities procured under this authority, the bill waives a requirement that a certain percentage of the commodities must be transported by U.S. vessels (such requirements are known as federal cargo preference laws). The bill also removes a mandate from a federal cargo preference law relating to goods obtained by the U.S. government.

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced in Senate Current html August 02, 2022

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes new authorities for the procurement and distribution of emergency food assistance, modifying existing procedures and adding new responsibilities to address the global food crisis resulting from Russia's actions in Ukraine.

• 22 U.S.C. 2292b

  the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, acting in the capacity of the President's Special Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance pursuant to section 493 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2292b), shall develop and submit a strategy to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives for averting a catastrophic global food security crisis

  This change gives the Administrator of USAID a new mandate to develop a strategy for addressing the global food crisis.

• 22 U.S.C. 2292

  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development is authorized to procure life-saving food aid commodities, including commodities available locally and regionally, for the provision of emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable populations in countries and areas experiencing acute food insecurity that has been exacerbated by rising food prices.

  This adds a new authority for USAID to procure emergency food aid commodities specifically to assist vulnerable populations affected by acute food insecurity.

• 22 U.S.C. 2292

  In responding to crises in which emergency food aid commodities are unavailable locally or regionally, or in which the provision of locally or regionally procured agricultural commodities would be unsafe, impractical, or inappropriate, the Administrator should prioritize procurements of United States agricultural commodities.

  This directive prioritizes the procurement of U.S. agricultural commodities in certain crisis situations.

• 22 U.S.C. 9301

  In making local or regional procurements of food aid commodities pursuant to subsection (a), the Administrator...should prioritize procurements from areas supported through the international agricultural development programs authorized under the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (22 U.S.C. 9301 et seq.) and from Ukraine.

  This change encourages local procurement from specific areas to promote economic stability and resilience.

• undefined

  the authority under subsection (a) shall not apply to procurements from the Russian Federation, the People's Republic of China, or any country subject to sanctions.

  This exclusion prevents procurement from certain sanctioned countries, aligning food aid efforts with U.S. foreign policy.

• 46 U.S.C. 55305(b)

  shall → should

  This change provides a softer recommendation for compliance with cargo tonnage regulations.

Action History

1. August 02, 2022

   Introduced in Senate

2. August 02, 2022

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Sponsors

• James E. Risch · Primary

Subjects