WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) recently joined a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney pushing for rapid action to ensure that newly-dedicated American assistance reaches hunger-stricken areas of the globe as soon as possible. The letter was led by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

The senators pointed to the relief for this humanitarian crisis that was included in the recently-passed government funding bill, and noted, “Humanitarian aid can sometimes take months to reach its intended destination. It is imperative that these funds be released without delay.”

South Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen and Somalia are all facing severe famines, and tens of millions of people across the globe will require emergency food assistance this year.

“We urge you to take the necessary steps to apportion these funds as soon as possible. Millions of lives are depending on it,” the senators concluded.

Background

• Sen. Moran serves as co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus and previously chaired the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, which allocates funding for certain USAID and USDA global food programs. He remains a member of that subcommittee and the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee.
• The FY2017 omnibus bill included $1.9 billion for Food for Peace Title II funding, a USAID initiative that provides in-kind donations of American agriculture commodities to countries with critical food needs. The bill also maintained funding for McGovern-Dole Education, a program that promotes education for children by providing meals at schools located in areas most critically in need.

Full text of the letter is below.  

The Honorable Mick Mulvaney
Director
The Office of Management and Budget
725 17^th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20503

Dear Mr. Mulvaney:

The world is currently witnessing a humanitarian crisis not seen in 70 years.  In February, the United Nations declared a famine in South Sudan and 5 million South Sudanese are facing severe food insecurity.  This level of famine is also threatening Nigeria, Yemen, and Somalia.  In Yemen, 2.2 million children are acutely malnourished.  Across 45 countries, nearly 110 million people will require emergency food assistance this year. 

The fiscal year 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act provided $990 million in humanitarian relief to address this critical famine, and hundreds of millions of dollars were included in the 2017 Security Assistance Appropriations Act for international disaster assistance.  Humanitarian aid can sometimes take months to reach its intended destination.  It is imperative that these funds be released without delay. 

We urge you to take the necessary steps to apportion these funds as soon as possible.  Millions of lives are depending on it.

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