October 31, 1963
PAGE 20830
AMENDMENT OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961
The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill (H.R. 7885) to amend further the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and for other purposes.
Mr. GRUENING obtained the floor.
Mr. GRUENING. Mr. President, I yield to my colleague from Alaska.
FOOD FOR PEACE
Mr. BARTLETT. I thank my colleague for yielding to me, especially because I know the subject which I intend to discuss is of great interest to him.
Mr. President, section 403(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act amends Public Law 480 -- the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 -- to permit surplus fish products to be sold under title 1 and title 4 of the food-for-peace program.
The need for this amendment has been clearly indicated when underdeveloped countries in need of high quality food protein have attempted to purchase fish products under the food-for-peace program. As a specific example, India last fall attempted to purchase canned fish in an effort to meet what is regarded as the most serious nutrition problem in India, namely, a protein deficiency. At the present time fish products may not be utilized under the food-for-peace program.
I believe the food-for-peace program must be capable of meeting the full range of nutritional needs. At the Food and Agriculture Organization Conference, held in Washington on "Fish and Nutrition" in 1961, the chairman of the conference stated:
The dietary nutrient most lacking in deficient diets all over the world is a good quality protein.
Fish is recognized as one of the world's finest sources of protein.
The amendment is drafted to permit surplus fish products to be sold under either title 1-- sales for foreign currency – or under title 4 -- dollar sales with long-term loans. The amendment does not authorize surplus fish products to be donated or given away under title 2 -- for famine or disaster relief -- or under title 3 -- for donations to needy persons. Only sales of surplus fish products, not gifts, are permitted under the amendment.
However, before any fish product is permitted to be sold under the program the Secretary of the Interior must determine that the fish product is in surplus. The term "surplus" is defined in the amendment in the same manner as surplus agricultural products are defined, namely, that supply in excess of first, domestic requirements; second, an adequate carryover; and, third, anticipated exports for dollars.
The Department of the interior has stated that there are some 30 major species of fish caught in the United States. Many of these show a wide variation in production from year to year. Each year several species of fish are found in surplus. It is true that compared to agricultural surpluses, these are not large. It is also true that these surpluses have not been generated by any system of support prices.
The Department of Interior has provided information that indicates there has been a surplus in the production of several species of fish in the past few years. In 1962 and 1963, canned sardine production in Maine has been recorded at 2.1 and 1.5 million cases respectively. Annual carryover was 1.6 million cases in 1962 and 1.4 million cases this year. Most of this heavy carryover could be considered as surplus under the amendment. At the current market value this surplus could be made available for sale under title 1 or 4 for approximately $10 million.
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, will the Senator from Alaska yield?
Mr. BARTLETT. I do not have the floor, but I shall be most happy to yield to the Senator from Maine, if my colleague from Alaska [Mr. GRUENING] will permit me to do so, with the understanding that he will not lose the floor at the conclusion of my remarks.
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, I compliment the distinguished Senator from Alaska for the speech he is making on a section of the Foreign Assistance Act which is of importance to my State. He is clearly establishing numerous reasons why fisheries products should be included under the food-for-peace program.
Fish products are nutritious. They are an inexpensive source of protein. They would serve a real need in many countries throughout the world which require a cheap source of nourishment. In addition, they can be easily transported, distributed, and stored for indefinite periods prior to using.
I wish to reemphasize that this amendment would cover only export sales of surplus fisheries products. There would be no giveaways to foreign countries.
Surplus situations frequently occur in the fishing industry because of the differences in the yearly catch. We in Maine are acutely aware of this problem. Our sardine industry has been plagued by surpluses over the past 2 years; 1.6 million cases were carried over from the 1962 season; 1.4 million cases in 1963. The Senator from Alaska [Mr. BARTLETT] has already referred to this. This carryover could be considered surplus and declared eligible for participation in the food-for-peace program under the terms of the proposed amendment.
This continuing surplus in the Maine sardine industry has had a depressing effect on the entire area. At least four Maine sardine plants have been closed during the past year and a half. Removal of the surplus through sales to foreign countries would solve at least one part of the industry's problem.
It seems only just that the American fishing industry, which has been so adversely affected by foreign fish imports, should be given this slight assistance to place them in a competitive position in foreign markets. Several countries in need of high quality food protein have expressed an interest in purchasing American fish products under the food-for-peace program. Under present law, our hands are tied. The amendment under discussion is needed to assist a deserving American industry which has been too often neglected.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed at this point in the RECORD a telegram I have received from Mr. David H. Hart, chairman of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, on this subject.
There being no objection, the telegram was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
CAPE MAY, N.J.,
October 31, 1963.
Senator EDMUND S. MUSKIE,
Washington, D.C.:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, of which your State is a member, respectfully request your support for Senator FULBRIGHT’s amendment to H.R. 7885, the foreign aid assistance authorization bill. If fishery products are included in the food-for-peace program it would be a great help in aiding our domestic fishing industry.
DAVID H. HART,
Chairman of the Commission.
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, I should like to bring to the attention of the distinguished Senator from Alaska [Mr. BARTLETT] a letter I have received from Mr. Carl Wight, sales manager of the Seaboard Packing Co., of Bath, Maine, in which he says:
If we were included in the food-for-peace program, we feel that this could be of great assistance to our industry as well as other participating industries. As you are aware, our industry suffers from lack of finance, and in the rush of the packing season many canners, because of their inadequate financing, are forced to dump sardines on the market at very low -- even distressed -- prices. If the food-for-peace program were set up to include sardines, Government procurement of sardines during this rush period would greatly strengthen our entire industry. Such a program would no doubt give us a key as to where we might look abroad to expand our present marketing of sardines.
Mr. BARTLETT. Mr. President, I am grateful to the Senator from Maine for the contribution he has made to the discussion. The Senate has already passed considerable fisheries legislation this year. In respect to all of it, the junior Senator from Maine, mindful of the interests of fishermen, has been in the forefront. His assistance has been valuable and appreciated, not only on the Maine coast, but in all the coastal States which have such a great interest in the fisheries.
Mr. MUSKIE. The name of the distinguished senior Senator from Alaska [Mr. BARTLETT] is well recognized as being in the forefront of the fisheries industry, which has fallen upon hard times in recent years. The amendment to which he is addressing himself might well be considered a part of the reciprocal trade program. It would be of assistance to domestic industry and, at the same time, would provide a high protein food at low cost to countries overseas.