Bush Orders $200M In Emergency Food Aid

President's Order Comes As U.N. Chief Warns Food Crisis Threatens Fight Against Poverty

(CBS/AP)  President Bush on Monday ordered the release of $200 million in emergency aid to help nations where surging food prices have deepened hunger woes and sparked violent protests.

The move comes one day after the president of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, called on the international community to act urgently in helping needy people and "put our money where our mouth is." Haiti, Egypt and the Philippines are among the countries facing civil unrest because of food prices and shortages.

Bush directed Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer to draw down an estimated $200 million from a food reserve known as the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the move will help address the impact of rising commodity prices on U.S. emergency food aid programs, and help meet the unanticipated food needs of countries in Africa and elsewhere.

Bush discussed the hunger problem at length with his Cabinet at the White House on Monday.

Perino said Bush was deeply concerned about the mounting crisis, and that he believes developed countries have a responsibility to help those in need.

Beyond short-term aid, Perino said administration officials are debating solutions with lasting impact. "Over the long run, the source problems will need to be identified, the source of where the food is, so that there is a long-term plan in place that helps take care of the world's poor and hungry," she said.

Perino noted the United States already is the largest provider of food aid in the world. The United States delivered more than $2.1 billion of food aid to 78 developing countries in 2007, she said.

Earlier Monday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that a rapidly escalating global food crisis has reached emergency proportions and threatens to wipe out seven years of progress in the fight against poverty.

He called for short-term emergency measures in many regions to meet urgent food needs and avoid starvation and longer-term efforts to significantly increase production of food grains.

The "international community will also need to take urgent and concerted action in order to avoid the larger political and security implications of this growing crisis," Ban told international finance and trade officials who came to a U.N. meeting following weekend talks in Washington.

The secretary-general echoed Zoellick's appeal to governments on Sunday to quickly provide the U.N. World Food Program with $500 million in emergency aid that it needs by May 1.

Zoellick said the international community has "to put our money where our mouth is" to deal with rapidly rising food prices that have caused hunger and deadly violence in several countries.

Ban said the recent steep rise in food prices "has already raised the cost of WFP's needs to maintain its current operations from $500 million to $755 million."

WFP, the world's largest humanitarian agency, issued an "extraordinary emergency appeal" to donor countries for $500 million last month, saying the money was needed by May 1 to avoid cutting rations to some of the world's most impoverished regions. The Rome-based agency said its funding gap was growing weekly.

"The rapidly escalating crisis of food availability around the world has reached emergency proportions," Ban said.

"The World Bank has estimated that the doubling of food prices over the last three years could push 100 million people in low income countries deeper into poverty," he said.

Ban echoed Zoellick in warning that that the food crisis "could mean seven lost years in the fight against worldwide poverty."

The United Nations is at a midpoint in its campaign to reduce global poverty and improve living standards of the world's bottom billion. The Millennium Development Goals, adopted at a U.N. summit in 2000, include cutting extreme poverty by half by 2015.

The World Food Program blames soaring food prices on a convergence of rising energy costs, natural disasters linked to climate change, and competition for grain used to make bio-fuels like ethanol.

Program spokesperson Benita Luescher told CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller, "What we're seeing is a perfect storm."

On Friday, the Group of 24 Developing Countries urged advanced nations to step up financial aid to help them deal with the severe impact of higher food and energy prices and the turmoil in global financial markets.

The G-24 said that coordinated international action is needed to prevent the emergence of a larger crisis, and agreed the International Monetary Fund has an important role in responding to the current crisis. They also urged the IMF's sister institution, the World Bank, to increase advice and financial support.

[leftyintexas]

These animals need to learn for themselves. It''''s a complete waste of money helping this scum. www.theoandavirus.com

Posted by Clairdavis34 at 11:26 PM : Apr 15, 2008

You are sooo right. We should stop sending donations to the Republicon party as soon as possible. Thanks!

[newsterl]

It is OUR policies that force those countries to use our corn and rice. How can YOU ignore one side of the equation and then whine about the other side of the equation. We have forced people to use our corn (it has made many of our farmers'''''''' rich). So, you can''''''''t say it is not our responsibility.
Posted by whatithink

Like I said, our FAILED foreign policies have been the blame for all of the problems, including 9/11, time to pull out and cut the apron strings.



"According to statistic''''''''s there are 20 million children in this country in danger of going to be bed hungry every night! Where is Bush''''''''s help for them????? The
Posted by grumpas"

BETTER question; why are morons who cant afford their own childing having them in the first place and being allowed to keep kids they cant afford even BASIC care for- in an abusive situation in the second place?
You want help for the kids YOU decide to have and cant afford? spay-neuter, or birth control FIRST so we dont foot the bills for your poor choices.

[newsterl]

It is OUR policies that force those countries to use our corn and rice. How can YOU ignore one side of the equation and then whine about the other side of the equation. We have forced people to use our corn (it has made many of our farmers'''' rich). So, you can''''t say it is not our responsibility.
Posted by whatithink

Like I said, our FAILED foreign policies have been the blame for all of the problems, including 9/11, time to pull out and cut the apron strings.



"According to statistic''''s there are 20 million children in this country in danger of going to be bed hungry every night! Where is Bush''''s help for them????? The
Posted by grumpas"

BETTER question; why are morons who cant afford their own childing having them in the first place and being allowed to keep kids they cant afford even BASIC care for- in an abusive situation in the second place?
You want help for the kids YOU decide to have and cant afford? spay-neuter, or birth control FIRST so we dont foot the bills for your poor choices.

[barbaraf4]

Posted by forthepeopl1

It''s impossible to read the garbage you throw onto the screen. If you want to be taken seriously, please make it readable.

[forthepeopl1]

bush to pessents, die, all you die, leave me alone

[forthepeopl1]

how about us americans, sir bush, please us pessents in your country need help,

[forthepeopl1]

if it aint MR. POTATOHEAD, LOOKS PRITTY SCARED DOENT HE. ITS FUNNY TO HAVE THIS INSIDER OF WALLSTREET HAVE SO MUCH POWER..


LISTEN IF THEY ( CONGRESS) WOULD DO THERE JOBS WE WOULDN''''''''T BE IN THIS MESS.

ANYONE THAT TOOK OUT LOANS FROM 2000 TO 2007
REGARDLESS OF WHAT THERE CREDIT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THIS MESS MOST HAVE LOST THEIR GOOD RATING.


THEY NEED TO COME OUT AND TELL ALL MORTGAGE COMPANYS

TO RE-FI EVERYONE NOW. NO EXCEPTION IF THEY HAVE A
MORTGAGE THAN TAKE 60% OFF THE BALLANCE AND RE-FI THEM AT 1 PERCENT OVER PRIME AND STOP ALL THE BLEEDING FOR ONCE..THAT IS ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE, SIMPLE,FAST,AND IT WOULD STOP ALL FORCLOSEINGS,BURNINGS OF HOMES,AND STOP 10''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''S OF MILLIONS FROM BEING ON THE STREET..

THIS IS MORE INPORTANT, THAN THIS ***.

OR HOW ABOUT REPORTING THAT WE THE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THIS FROM CLINTON AND MCCAIN. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE 374,298 AMERICANS DEAD,HURT,MAIMED IN THIS WAR YOU SUPPOTED FROM THE START..HOW ABOUT ASKING THEM THIS


TIME TO MARCH DOWN AND TAKE THEM OUT..

[barbaraf4]

"To all you folks suggesting he spend the money in this country - aren''t you the same one who''d call the people that would receive aid "liberal dirtbags who just don''t want to work?"" Posted by USBrit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Only if Bush hasn''t given all the jobs away to overseas companies. If a job is available, I expect a liberal dirtbag to take it. Under this administration, that isn''t always possible.

[usbrit-2009]

To all you folks suggesting he spend the money in this country - aren''t you the same one who''d call the people that would receive aid "liberal dirtbags who just don''t want to work?"

[barbaraf4]

If you want to prevent terrorists, the former will do a better job than the latter. Posted by whatithink
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I''m not too sure about that. If you want to prevent terrorists, we need to simply stand back and watch as they destroy themselves. Handing food to a starving child is a worthy act; however, I would rather finance contraceptive services so there are no starving children in these third world countries. I would much rather feed the starving child who lives across the street from me.

[leftyintexas]

Did anyone get their invitation to the wedding at the ranch?

Posted by htboy08 at 09:51 AM : Apr 15, 2008

Who in their right mind would want one?

[htboy08]

Did anyone get their invitation to the wedding at the ranch?

[leftyintexas]

Program spokesperson Benita Luescher told CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller, "What we''re seeing is a perfect storm."

No...THE perfect storm was created when DOOFUS was ''elected'' President.

[htboy08]

To mbcsmith,Ill sell my computer,Then YOU can drive me around to look for a job!AFTER you put 100 dollars in your tank for gas.You must be a Bushhog.

[whatithink-2009]

barbaraf4,

Unfortunately, the one thing that was catalyst of all these problems was not a legacy idea. It was something fully created by Bush. I''d rather my tax dollars go to helping someone who is actually starving than to drop bombs on people who never did anything to us. If you want to prevent terrorists, the former will do a better job than the latter.

[barbaraf4]

When Bush gets a "legacy idea" and does something sterling like sending zillions of dollars overseas to fight AIDS or offset world hunger or whatever, the problem is not solved.

As a matter of fact, if we don''t do something QUICK about our own failed government, we and our children will be sitting in the dirt, starving and covered with flies, here in America.

[quetzal0666]

That SHRUB, such a generous fellow,
200 million for Food, thats what 40 smart bombs?

at tha rate he''s dropping them , the Iraqui People are going to be Obese!!!

[aaabee-2009]

Bush: "Quick, someone''''s noticed we dropped the ball again, this time on this global food crisis thing! Issue some...some...MONEY! A million dollars?"

White House lackey: "Not enough, sir. It costs us more than that just to deliver it."

Bush: "Then make it a hundred million!"

White House lackey: "But Mr President, the dollar has been devalued since we started printing so much more of it to bail out your banker friends."

Bush: "Then make it TWO hundred million!" And print up some more money just in case. And get me another lackey who doesn''''t know them...them...FACT things."

Posted by gce65 at 10:40 PM : Apr 14, 2008
(LMFAO, gce65)

[whatithink-2009]

Let''s see.

1. I''m going to create a policy.
2. I''m going to force you to use the policy.
3. If the policy goes horribly wrong, it''s not my responsibility.

[whatithink-2009]

newsterl,

It is OUR policies that force those countries to use our corn and rice. How can YOU ignore one side of the equation and then whine about the other side of the equation. We have forced people to use our corn (it has made many of our farmers'' rich). So, you can''t say it is not our responsibility.

You should become more aware of the policies of our government.