Sen. Moran takes FFP proposal to Senate floor
The move was first proposed last Tuesday by Kansas Rep. Tracey Mann with support from the Kansas delegation and others as a means to not only continue the FFP program, but as a protection for Kansas farmers and grain storage managers to preserve a market outlet for grain sorghum, which represents a significant portion of the Kansas agriculture economy.
In his floor speech, Sen. Moran also higlighted the importance of Food For Peace for national security, as well as a means to feed the world's hungry.
"In conjunction with the President's action, I've introduced a bill with Sen. John Hoeven, Sen. Roger Marshall and Rep. Tracey Mann to move Food for Peace from the turbulent USAID and move it to the Department of Agriculture in an effort to prevent waste and bring the program closer to farmers that depend upon it," Moran said. "By placing Food for Peace under USDA's authority, we can make certain that the program is in good hands and can continue to bring revenue to American agriculture.
"Just a little over an hour ago, the Senate confirmed the new Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins," Moran noted. "I have no doubt she will be an excellent advocate for our nation's farmers, and I appreciate the conversations we've already had on this legislation and her excitement to work on this proposal with me."
On the Senate floor
Moran's message pointed to the program as a Kansas legacy, as well as its necessity for Kansans and others.
"Today, I want to speak about a program that has shaped our nation's humanitarian efforts and made a significant impact on my home state of Kansas, a program called Food for Peace. In 1953, agricultural surpluses had reached an all-time high, but the price of storing excess commodities was too expensive to rationalize, and it was at risk of going to waste.
"Kansas farmers, like Cheyenne County's Peter O'Brien, worked hard to cultivate and grow these commodities. Looking for a solution, Peter suggested at a local farm bureau meeting that maybe the excess food could be sent to countries in need. Peter understood that out of our abundance, we have a moral duty and opportunity to feed the hungry. His idea sparked the origin of a program we now know as Food for Peace.
"Another Kansan, one of my predecessors, Andy Schoeppel, led the Food for Peace Act in the Senate, which was signed into law by President Eisenhower, another Kansan, in 1954. And Senator Bob Dole from Russell, Kansas later championed the reauthorization of Food for Peace. The program's premise was simple but impactful: by leveraging the food surpluses that we produce in Kansas and across the nation, we could address famine around the world while creating new markets for our commodities and bolstering our agricultural economy.
"The first shipments of American wheat and corn were sent to Korea and Greece in 1954, and by the end of Food for Peace's initial year of operation, it had fed 1.2 million people. Over the last 70 years, the program has fed more than 4 billion people in more than 50 countries, all with American grown commodities."
Hunger as a catalyst for conflict
"Hunger, whether driven by price increases or food shortages, can act as a catalyst for protests and armed conflict. We've seen how food can be used as a weapon of war as radical Islamic groups in Syria use food as a means to recruit soldiers. We've witnessed regions of the world that are critical to America's strategic interest sent into chaos due to people not having access to affordable food.
"In a turbulent world stricken with conflict, American leadership is more than just our military and our economic might. Food aid provided by the United States reduces despair and increases stability within fragile countries by enabling economic productivity and minimizing the risk of radicalization.
"For countless individuals around the world, their survival is dependent upon the resources provided by the American people. These vulnerable populations rely on the strength and prosperity of the United States.
"However, much work remains in the ongoing battle against hunger, and part of that battle is improving the process and programs that administer our aid.
A necessary move
"Food for Peace is administered by the USAID, and the inefficiency of USAID has been growing concern. The agency struggles with bureaucratic delays, mismanagement, and a lack of coordination, which undermines its ability to deliver aid effectively to those in need. This inefficiency not only waste taxpayer dollars, but also diminishes the impact of Americans' foreign aid in addressing global crisis.
"Reports suggest that millions of taxpayer dollars have been allocated to promoting tourism in Lebanon and Egypt, funding the purchase of electric vehicles for Vietnam and inadvertently supporting the cultivation of opium in Afghanistan. Even more concerning, it has been confirmed that $9 million intended for civilian food and medical supplies in Syria fell into the hands of terrorist organizations linked to Al-Qaeda due to the failed oversight of USAID.
"Amid these concerns of corruption, President Trump has taken steps to dismantle USAID. In conjunction with the President's action and with approval of the White House policy team, I've introduced a bill with Senator John Hoeven and Senator Roger Marshall, and Representative Tracey Mann to move Food for Peace from the turbulent USAID program and move it to the Department of Agriculture in an effort to prevent waste and bring the program closer to farmers that depend upon it.
"USDA has a long and proven history of managing agricultural policy and programs that support American farmers, food distribution systems and global security efforts. USDA has boots on the ground and the infrastructure already in place to support the logistics for food assistance. The agency understands how to move crops efficiently, sustainably and quickly. This knowledge is indispensable when responding to international crises, where speed and reliability can mean the difference between life and death. By placing Food for Peace under USDA's authority, we make certain that the program is in good hands and can continue to bring revenue to American agriculture."
In conclusion
"In rural America, food assistance programs like Food for Peace put American-grown products in the hands of the hungry, and this food is a tangible extension of the hard work and dedication of farmers and ranchers," Moran concluded. "I'm pleased to help find ways to make our delivery of food aid more effective, more efficient and remove the challenges and things that we've seen that are so disturbing. Food for Peace bolsters the farmers who feed us, creates a more stable world and feeds the hungry."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
French left urges Macron to act over US plan to destroy contraceptives
France's left-wing politicians on Saturday called on President Emmanuel Macron to intervene over US plans to destroy nearly $10 million worth of female contraceptives in Europe, calling it an "affront" to public health. A State Department spokesperson told AFP this week that "a preliminary decision was made to destroy certain" birth control products from "terminated Biden-era USAID contracts." The US Agency for International Development, the country's foreign aid arm, was dismantled by Donald Trump's administration when he returned to office in January, replacing former president Joe Biden. Under the plan, some $9.7 million worth of implant and IUD contraceptives stored in Belgium are reportedly set to be incinerated in France. An open letter signed by French Green leader Marine Tondelier and several female lawmakers called the US decision "an affront to the fundamental principles of solidarity, public health and sexual and reproductive rights that France is committed to defending." In the letter, they urged the French president "not to be complicit, even indirectly, in retrograde policies," saying women's contraception products such as IUDs and implants were intended for "low- and middle-income countries." "Cutting aid for contraception is shameful, destroying products that have already been manufactured and financed is even more mind-boggling," Tondelier told AFP. The Greens urged Macron to request the suspension of the plan "as part of a joint initiative with the European Commission." They also called on him to back humanitarian organisations that say they are ready to redistribute the contraception products. Separately, Mathilde Panot, parliamentary leader of the hard left France Unbowed (LFI) party, also urged Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou to take action. "You have a responsibility to act to prevent this destruction, which will cost lives," she said on X. "These resources are vital, particularly for the 218 million women who do not have access to contraceptive care." The US plan has sparked outrage from global health NGOs, with Doctors Without Borders denouncing the "callous waste." "It is unconscionable to think of these health products being burned when the demand for them globally is so great," said Rachel Milkovich of the medical charity's US office. The State Department spokesperson said the destruction will cost $167,000 and "no HIV medications or condoms are being destroyed." Doctors Without Borders says that other organisations have offered to cover the shipping and distribution costs of the supplies, but the US government declined to sign off. US lawmakers have approved slashing some $9 billion in aid primarily destined for foreign countries. sde-ama-as/ach
San Francisco Chronicle
15 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trans athlete ban part of Trump's quest to ruin L.A. Olympics and sports, one step at a time
How did the world ever hold an Olympic Games before Donald Trump came along to show us the way? That guy's latest move to fix the Games is his executive order barring transgender athletes from competing for the U.S. team in women's events at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. This is in the wake of Trump saving the city of L.A. from total annihilation at the hands of rampaging mobs. You can already feel the order, peace and love building for this Olympics, can't you? Try harder. Trump doesn't have the authority to ban American trans athletes from the Olympics, but, well, actually he does, because he can do whatever he wants to do until someone pushes back, and that's not happening here. By its federal charter, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee has exclusive authority over all matters regarding U.S. representation in the Olympics. The USOPC receives no federal funding. Its policy on trans athletes — which is that each U.S. sporting body sets its own rules — was formulated over years of study and discussion. Then the USOPC tossed that policy out the window like night water in a chamber pot. 'Our revised policy emphasizes the importance of ensuring fair and safe competition environments for women,' explained Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the USOPC. Whatever you do, make it sound like you're taking the high road, not that you've been bullied into submission. If rolling over and playing dead becomes an Olympic sport for '28, the USOPC 'leaders' have a shot at the gold. But they'll face stiff competition from heavyweight law firms, universities, TV empires, tech titans, big newspapers and elected officials. It's all for the better, especially in the world of sports, which has a true champion in Trump. For example: • He is leading the charge to restore abandoned team nicknames to the NFL's Washington Commanders and MLB's Cleveland Guardians. He is threatening to withhold federal wampum. • In baseball, Trump has coerced MLB into giving the dead and disgraced Pete Rose a shot at the Hall of Fame. • In golf, he patched up the rift between the PGA Tour and the LIV Tour. Wait, he didn't? He said he could fix that problem in 15 minutes, and it's already been six months? At least he's trying, maybe because the LIV Tour feeds his ego and fattens his wallet. • In pro football, he once destroyed an entire league, the USFL, but took a mulligan and saved the NFL by putting a stop to national anthem protests by 'son of a bitch' players. His bullying led the NFL to rule in 2018 that players were required to stand at attention, unless they opted to stay in the locker room. You could protest all you wanted, as long as you didn't let Trump see you. • Most recently, Trump issued an executive order setting in motion a plan to limit the earning ability of college athletes. These greedy kids have to be taught that there's more to life than money. To put teeth in his order, signed in an Oval Office decorated with more gold than King Tut's tomb, Trump will use the familiar threat of cutting federal funding. That penalty that would be administered by the Department of Education, which he is in the process of dismantling. But if one were to rank Trump's proudest sports accomplishments, his attack on trans folks would be at or near the top. It's where his heart is. He recently pulled the plug on a national suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ kids. In sports, to the man who has declared himself the winner of golf tournaments in which he didn't physically participate, the trans issue speaks to the heart of his idea of fair competition. It's also instant gratification. Trump might not be able to deliver on promises to end wars, his tariff follies might be throwing global commerce into turmoil, but with a bold stroke of his Sharpie, Trump can stop the invading horde of sports-wrecking trans athletes. Horde-lite, I should say. According to the International Olympic Committee, less than 0.001% of recent Olympians openly identify as trans and/or nonbinary. I did the math. About 11,000 athletes will compete at the L.A. Olympics. By statistical probability, one-tenth of one athlete at those Olympics will be a trans woman. If that athlete wins a medal, it should be the size of a dime. Granted, this is not a black-and-white issue. Recent polls show that a majority of Americans are not in favor of trans women and girls competing against cisgender women and girls. OK, if we're going to decide controversial issues simply on the basis of polls, then we should anticipate Trump signing executive orders to institute tough gun-control laws, restore female reproductive rights, and give back to immigrants the due process guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. The trans athlete controversy isn't a yes-or-no deal. In 2021 the IOC released a lengthy document titled 'Framework on Fairness,' essentially a guidebook to help national Olympic committees formulate their rules regarding trans athletes. The document says, basically, let's weigh all the factors and not rush to emotional or political decisions. For instance, the Framework points out that there is no known instance of a male athlete proclaiming himself trans for the purpose of sneaking into women's competition, but the document does offer provisions to deal with that scenario. That document is way too touchy-feely for Trump. Like the part that says, 'The Framework asks sports bodies to consider the value of inclusion for, and the needs and rights of, trans athletes and athletes with sex variations.' As if. So you either go with the Framework suggestion that decisions be made after employing science, compassion, debate, fairness and all that, or you go with the Trump method, which is to trim the infant's fingernails with a chainsaw. Hold still, you little brat! It all adds to the excitement Trump is injecting into the L.A. Olympics. He has created the image of a city in chaos, overrun by violent mobs held at bay only by heavily armed federal troops. What potential Olympics visitor can't wait to wade into that party? Trump's visa restrictions, and his demonization of former allies like Canada and Mexico, figure to make the whole tourist experience much more interesting. Can you get into America? Can you get out? On the fields of play, more questions. Would Trump interfere with trans athletes from other countries getting visas? Will he try to stop them from competing? Will he have them thrown into an ICE pop-up gator gulag? Trump does not control the IOC. Not yet. But he could threaten to scuttle the L.A. Olympics if the IOC doesn't play by his rules. The charter under which the USOPC operates is not a presidential charter, but a congressional charter. Congress, for instance, created oversight mechanisms to ensure fairness to athletes. Now, though, Trump has seized the wheel from Congress and announced that he will steer this ship by himself. In a way, isn't it much simpler when one person makes all the rules and decisions for all of us? Eliminates so much mindless chatter and red tape. There should be a name for a guy who runs the whole show with unquestionable authority and ruthless, unchecked power. Any ideas, send 'em our way.
NBC News
16 minutes ago
- NBC News
Kicking the can down the road on tariffs won't work for this Maryland manufacturer
Checkbook Chronicles Independent Can Company has raised prices twice this year already after Trump imposed 25% duties on steel in March, and then doubled them in June. July 26, 2025, 7:15 AM EDT By Emily Lorsch When Rick Huether strolls the floors of his four manufacturing plants — two in Maryland and two in Ohio — employees' typical greetings such as, 'Hey, how's the family?' have been increasingly replaced with, 'Hey Rick, should I be looking for a job somewhere else?' Huether, the CEO of Independent Can Company, has had to raise prices on customers twice this year and it's the third time since President Donald Trump's first term. 'It's frustrating,' Huether said of the Trump administration's ever-evolving tariff agenda, which now includes 50% import taxes on the foreign-made steel his company relies on. 'I can't run my business the way I want to run it.' Huether, a Republican, said he shares the administration's goal of reinvigorating American industry. 'We want to bring as much manufacturing back to this country as you can. And as a family, we made a strategic commitment to being the specialty can maker in America with American workers,' he said. 'We want to be here.' But according to Huether, Trump has made that harder to do. He said he has never voted for the president because he dislikes how he treats people and communicates, and his trade policies have caused headaches for his business operations. 'Chaos is our nemesis,' Huether said, echoing a concern many small business owners have voiced for months amid Trump's erratic tariff rollout: 'We can't plan when we don't have a vision of what's going on for the next two or three years.' Business highlights Independent Can Company's wares might already be in your cupboard. The Belcamp, Maryland-based family business, in operation since 1929, makes the packaging for everything from Wegmans' brand of Virginia peanuts to the Santa Claus tins filled with chocolates or popcorn that hit grocery shelves around the holidays. The company manufactures cans and other containers for popular consumer brands including Swiss Miss, Zippo and Titleist. One of its newest customers is the lip balm maker Burt's Bees. Independent Can Company — whose annual sales have averaged $130 million in recent years — used to have more than 30 domestic competitors in specialty can making, Huether estimated, many of which were family-owned businesses. Today there are just a couple left, he said. The company employs about 400 people across its four plants. A fifth, in Iowa, closed in 2024 due to what Huether described as a combination of clients' shifting packaging needs and Trump's first-term steel tariffs. He secured some exemptions from those levies at the time but still had to raise prices in 2018 by anywhere from 8-16%, depending on the product. Independent Can Company's manufacturing process relies on a highly specialized material called tinplate, a very thin-gauge, flat-rolled steel with an electro-coated surface of tin. Developed as a corrosion-resistant material safe for food packaging, tinplate supplies are limited — the product makes up only about 2% of global steel production, Huether estimated, and it's only roughly 1% of the steel produced in the U.S. Up until about 2007, Independent Can Company bought most of its tinplate domestically but now sources most of it overseas — the majority from Germany, along with Taiwan and South Korea — due to foreign suppliers' quality, service and price. The business adopted more efficient production systems starting in the 1990s, which included a new printing line in 2000 that uses a larger sheet size, boosting efficiency. The issue: steel coils large enough for that system aren't available domestically right now, partly because American steel companies haven't kept up with manufacturers' needs, Huether said. In addition, the materials Independent Can Company uses are about twice as expensive in the U.S. than in Asia and about 20% more expensive than in Europe, Huether estimated. Tariff impacts The cost squeeze is weighing on Independent Can Company as it struggles to rebound from a rough two years, amid pandemic-related supply-chain issues and cost swings. Those challenges left the company with a lot of expensive steel that it had to sell at a loss. But after tens of millions in capital investments, including in automation, Independent Can Company is finally settling into a new normal that Huether expects to put the company back on surer footing this year, tariffs notwithstanding. Still, access to affordable tinplate is non-negotiable and remains a wild card. That material alone represents 50-75% of its products' prices, Huether estimated. With tariff exemptions removed in March, Independent Can Company began paying Trump's 25% levies on all its imported tinplate, a steep new expense that Huether said forced the business to hike prices on some products by 8-16%. After the duties were raised to 50% in June, the company imposed another round of 8-16% increases. 'This adjustment is necessary to ensure that we can continue to provide you with the high-quality products and service you have come to expect,' Huether informed clients in a statement on the company's website earlier this year. 'We've really absorbed the amount of the tariffs that we can absorb,' he told NBC News. 'It's going to be passed through.' Bringing the shine back to 'Made in America' Huether is relieved that Independent Can Company hasn't lost business yet since the price hikes, but that worry is ever-present. There's a risk that some companies will switch to cheaper packaging, he said, including options that may not be as safe or recyclable. But it's hard to know how things will shake out… 'You instantly go to: Well, is this going to happen, or is it a tactic to get somebody to do something else? Is it real or not?' he said. In the meantime, Huether doubts whether rewriting U.S. trade policy can bring back American manufacturing overnight, or even in a few years. Huether believes in expanding vocational training in schools and eliminating the stigma often associated with certain career paths. 'We do not have the skills in this country to manage it,' he said, nodding to a reality that companies and analysts across a range of industrial sectors have underscored since the trade war began. 'It takes one to five years to get a full manufacturing plant up and running,' Huether said. 'We need time to do this.' What's more, 'We need predictability and consistency,' he added. 'We need to understand what the rules are. If the rules are constantly changing, we don't know how to play the game.' Emily Lorsch Emily Lorsch is a producer at NBC News covering business and the economy.
