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Food Assistance (1)
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Food Assistance (1)
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual
collections.
Collection: Deaver, Michael
Folder Title: Food Assistance (1)
Box: 41
To see more digitized collections
visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories
visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing
National Archives
Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/
cel tallto
agency FOR INTERNATIONAL
STAG.
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20523
Bill g think shd state this done at g JAN 1984
want
THE ADMINISTRATOR
MEMORANDUM FOR THE HONORABLE MICHAEL K DEAVER
Assistant to the President and
The White House
on program.
confroment
Deputy Chief of Staff
From:
M. Peter McPherson hpm
Subject:
A meeting involving the President to announce
the $90 million food supplemental and the
Economic Policy Initiative (EPI) for Africa,
Purpose:
The purpose of this meeting is to have the President take the
& followed by a press briefing
lead in announcing the emergency food supplemental and the
Economic Policy Initiative for Africa. You and I have agreed
in concept to this.
Background:
Because of an unusually widespread drought, Africa is
threatened by an increasingly critical food shortage. The most
recent estimate of the Food and Agricultural Organization of
the UN puts this year's food needs between 1.5 and 2 million
metric tons in over 20 countries. The U.S. has already
committed almost 200,000 tons of food over and above our base
food program for Africa this fiscal year.
Unfortunately, the current situation is not unique in history.
Africa is prone to droughts. Because of a deepening economic
crisis which began in the 1970s, African countries do not have
the capacity to finance necessary food imports from their own
resources. In fact, African food production has declined by
over 20 percent per capita between 1961 and 1982. Food aid
alleviates human suffering but it does little to prevent the
reoccurrence of such emergencies.
A primary cause has been poor African economic policies, which
have made the state the principal economic player while
stifling the incentive for individuals to produce more.
-2-
The Administration is proposing a two-pronged approach to the
crisis. (1) A supplemental appropriation of $90 million to help
relieve the immediate food emergency needs in Africa during FY
84. (2) A $500 million five-year Economic Policy Initiative
(EPI) for Africa to stimulate coordinated multilateral efforts
to effect policy reform oriented toward economic growth.
Proposed Meeting:
I propose that 5 minutes be reserved on the President's
calendar for January 26 or 27, 1984. This way the meeting will
not be overshadowed by the State of the Union or the
President's announcement for re-election.
The meeting would include the following:
The President
M. Peter McPherson, Administrator (A.I.D.)
Frank J. Donatelli, Assistant Administrator (A.I.D.)
Africa
A Representative of the Department of State
The meeting would be followed by a press briefing in the White
House briefing room where I would read a statement from the
President announcing the EPI and food supplemental. The
statement would be prepared by A.I.D. under my direction.
I would then elaborate and handle questions from the press.
Background material prepared by A.I.D. would be available for
press.
CC: Michael Baroody
Craig Fuller
Mike McManus
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
January 9, 1984
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL K. DEAVER
FROM:
CRAIG L. FULLER
CF
SUBJECT:
Communications Plan for the Food Assistance
Task Force
Monday, January 9, 1984
--
WSJ editorial supporting the work of the Task Force
--
copies of the draft report (reworked over the weekend) made
available to the press at the Task Force meetings
--
expect news coverage tonight on the Task Force meeting
Tuesday, January 10, 1984
--
Clay LaForce will appear on one of the morning shows to
discuss the work of the Task Force
--
Clay LaForce will hold a press briefing at the Department
of Labor (final arrangements TBD) prior to arrival at the
White House
--
WH guidance should be that we will comment on the report
after we see it
--
at 1:30 p.m. Clay LaForce will meet the President in the
Oval Office for a greeting and will escort him into the
Cabinet Room and introduce him to the Task Force members
--
between 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. the Task Force will brief
the President on their report and leave without press
contact
--
a WH statement will be issued late in the day (we will need
a small group meeting to discuss this matter- I'll get back
to you on it)
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
file
January 6, 1984
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL K. DEAVER
FROM:
CRAIG L. FULLER
SUBJECT:
Briefing on the Report of the Task
Force on Food Assistance
As you know we are holding time on the President's schedule at
1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 1984 for a briefing on the
Report of the Task Froce on Food Assistance. I have attached a
schedule proposal with my recommendations on how I would like to
use the time.
In making a determination on this, I would ask that you bear in
mind the following:
--
at the present time, 11 of the 13 members support the draft
report (one thinks the report goes too far in suggesting
there is a hunger problem, one thinks it does not go far
enough);
--
there will be a news story on Monday when the Task Force
meets;
--
the White House press corps will be looking for the
President's reaction on Tuesday (and will get White House
reaction one way or another);
---
the lead story out of the White House on Tuesday will be
the Chinese Premier's visit and the lead story on Wednesday
will be the Kissinger Commission report;
--
we should not walk away from the Food Assistance Task Force
and we should not send home at least 11 and maybe 13 people
who endorse something that we can accept we can "low key"
the meetings but we should be willing to allow the
President and the press to have contact with the Task
Force.
CC: Ed Meese
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
SCHEDULE PROPOSAL
DATE: JANUARY 6, 1984
FROM: CRAIG L. FULLER
ch
MEETING:
Briefing by Clay LaForce on the Report of
the Food Assistance Task Force and dropby
with the members of the Task Force
DATE:
Tuesday, January 10, 1984 @ 1:30 p.m.
PURPOSE:
The Food Assistance Task Force will meet and
finish their report on January 9th. This
meeting will provide the Task Force Chairman
with an opportunity to brief the President
on the report and will allow the members of
the Task Force to meet briefly with the
President for a photograph.
FORMAT:
1:30 p.m. -- Oval Office briefing with
LaForce for 20 minutes
1:50 p.m. -- The President, LaForce and
others from Oval Office join the
members of the Task Force who will have
been assembled in the Roosevelt Room
for greeting and photographs (10
minutes)
CABINET
Secretary John Block
PARTICIPATION:
SPEECH
Talking points for the Oval Office will be
MATERIAL
provided.
PRESS COVERAGE:
None. However, LaForce will brief the press
following the meeting (WH press room
suggested/USDA press briefing room is second
choice)
STAFF:
Craig L. Fuller
RECOMMEND:
Ed Meese, Craig Fuller
OPPOSED:
PREVIOUS
None with the Task Force
PARTICIPATION:
APPROVE
DISAPPROVE
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
January 4, 1984
MEMORANDUM FOR MICHAEL K. DEAVER
FROM:
CRAIG L. FULLER
CF
SUBJECT:
Food Assistance Task Force
You asked me yesterday in the Communications Planning Group to
coordinate efforts concerning the Food Assistance Task Force. I
have been briefed on the report and will arrange the following:
a detailed briefing late today on the Task Force recommen-
dations for a limited, senior group;
a meeting will be schedule with senior administration
officials later this week to determine if the President can
"accept in principle" the Task Force recommendations;
the Task Force Chairman and executive director concur in
this approach and will accept reactions from us;
guidance over the weekend when the report leaks should be
that we will not comment on the report until we have been
briefed on it--we should also say that the President took
the leadership in assembling this group and is anxious to
hear their recommendations and intends to take prompt
action;
we will meet on Monday with Task Force representatives
following their public meeting in order to analyze the
final version of the report and its recommendations.
I suggest that our Tuesday meeting at 1:30 p.m. be expanded
to 30 minutes, giving the chairman an opportunity to brief
the President in some detail on the findings and recommen-
dations--following that meeting, La Force could go into the
press room for a detailed press briefing with the President
making an opening statement that he endorses in principle
the recommendations and has ordered USDA and OPD to begin
work immediately on legislation and administrative direc-
tives to implement the recommendations. (There will not be
a recommendation to continue the Task Force. Any addition
study required for rural areas or other issues will be done
by the Administration.)
As a general operating approach we are going to refrain from
having the White House receive the report or call a meeting in
the White House with the Task Force chairman. The briefings
will be by phone and we will not indicate to anyone that we are
being briefed.
Let me know if other steps should be taken.
In order to develop a strategy for dealing with the report, I
did receive a detailed briefing of what is in the report. The
report is about 100 pages long. In addition there will be 12 to
15 appendixes with technical information. The following points
are contained in the report. This information should be held
close.
FOOD ASSISTANCE TASK FORCE SUMMARY
The report will make the following points:
--
Many say hunger is widespread and growing
the problem is
complex
it is related to poverty and unemployment.
Different groups are affected differently: the Task Force
identifies new poor; traditional poor and street people.
The question is asked, "Are there people in the United
States with unmet basic needs?" The Task Force believes
that anytime it is documented that a need exists, it is
taken care of; however, they indicate that there are
probably undocumented cases of hunger that exist which are
not taken care of.
There will be strong statements that the "safety net"
exists and is effective
although, the safety net is
viewed as a federal, state, local and private sector
assistance network that when combined forms an effective
safety net.
The Task Force will report that it has not seen or heard of
severe malnutrition.
Hunger is defined as "inadequate access to sufficient
quantities of food for constituting a nutritionally satis-
factory diet.
Five general claims are discussed in some detail. They
are:
(1) The number of people getting assistance is steadily
rising in the private sector programs the Task Force says
this is true but not evidence that there is an unmet need
for food assistance
better distribution, more publicity
about free food all contribute to higher demand.
(2) The number of people below the poverty line is
increasing the Task Force agrees but indicates that this
is driven by recession and the nation is succeeding at
coming out of recession.
(3) Malnutrition is increasing there is much bad research
in this area according to the Task Force
they found no
evidence to suggest that malnutrition is increasing and, in
fact, it may be declining.
(4) Food stamps run out prior to the end of the
month they do but this is because the Congress ended the
purchase requirement several years ago and food stamps, for
people who earn something, were never intended and are not
now intended to provide 100% of the cost of food for the
month.
(5) There very low participation rates in food assistance
programs the Task Force concurs with respect to some
groups, particularly the elderly and the "higher income"
poverty population.
There are four sets of recommendations:
(1) Allow the states the option of establishing autonomous
food assistance programs which would receive a single food
assistance payment from the federal government (in our
jargon, a block grant
but that term will not be used).
(2) Improve program targeting and administration by:
reducing overpayment errors; simplifying application
procedures; restoring food stamp allotment to 100% of
thrifty food plan for those without income; raise asset
limits; lengthen state food stamp office office hours;
stagger delivery of food stamps to reduce store price
adjustments; consider cashing-out food stamp benefits for
disabled and elderly; reauthorize WIC program at current
spending levels pending USDA reevaluation of WIC.
(3) Encourage greater private sector efforts and greater
military efforts: clarify tax treatment and provide enhanced
deductions for certain types of food assistance programs;
highlight the work done by the military with food banks
(Mrs. Baker's program).
(4) Improve measures of poverty and nutritional
statistics: improve techniques for establishing the
poverty line
----
The irony of the price support program which helps the
farmers but keeps the price of food and milk high is
pointed out without specific recommendations along with the
irony of paying people not to produce food products while
at the same time giving as much as we can to feed the
hungry.
--
The difficulty of designing federal programs with work
incentives is commented upon in a statement that encourages
workfare, but the Task Force will not support workfare.
More information will be made available at the upcoming
briefing.
rec'd
12-30
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
December 30, 1983
MEMORANDUM FOR MIKE DEAVER
FROM:
MIKE BAROODY
MB
SUBJECT:
The Pentagon Commission Report on the Beirut
Attack and The Food Assistance Task Force
Report
Attached are two documents Mike McManus said you needed by
Tuesday. As he asked, they synopsize key points about the
two reports.
The first, a one-pager, discusses the Pentagon report. It
is designed to re-emphasize the main themes in the Presi-
dent's Wednesday statement and has been checked by NSC.
There will be some amplification from Secretary Weinberger
on the status of the report's recommendations (e.g. to
strengthen security measures for the Marines in Beirut).
Weinberger's comments are expected Tuesday.
The second, a two-pager, discusses the hunger issue in light
of recent press accounts and leaks about the contents of the
Task Force' report. This document is written as general
guidance for those who may have to comment on the issue over
the next several days.
With respect to the Task Force report itself, two upcoming
events are sure to generate major press attention.
1) On January 9th when the Task Force meets to finalize
its report here in Washington (site yet to be deter-
mined), the meeting will be open to the press and
public. This event will amount to the unveiling of
the Task Force' recommendations. May generate con-
troversy. Will certainly lead almost immediately to
questions about how the Administration will respond
(Do we agree or not? Which recommendations will we
accept? etc.).
2) Release of the final report -- expected on or about
January 16th. We must be prepared, it seems to me,
to announce in some detail what we intend to do
about the recommendations at about the same time the
report is issued.
I understand from Mary Jarratt (Food and Nutrition at USDA)
that Dick Lyng of Agriculture is having discussions with
Craig Fuller here about how we should respond to the report.
Of course, the equally important question is who should
respond -- White House or USDA. (My view is that the White
House must be active in this, but final plans should wait
until more about the recommendations is known.)
One final point, as mentioned in the attachment, deserves
emphasis: The Administration has maintained a "hands off"
policy toward the Task Force and its studies. We have
provided only logistical support to their efforts, but no
policy input.
CC:
Mike McManus
January 2, 1983
THE PENTAGON REPORT ON THE ATTACK AT THE BEIRUT AIRPORT
President Reagan spoke on this subject December 27th.
In his statement he accepted the report, said many of
its recommendations had been implemented and that
others would be. He also made the following points:
-
"If there is to be blame, it properly rests here
in this office and with this President. I accept
responsibility for the bad as well as the good.
----
He agreed with the finding that the U.S military
is inadequately equipped "by tradition and train-
ing" to deal with the "fundamentally new phenome-
non of state-supported terrorism."
--
He also said local commanders have suffered enough
and should not be punished for "not fully compre-
hending the nature of today's terrorist threat.' "
(The President's comments preclude action by the
military courts, but allow administrative action.)
-
The appropriate response to this terrorism is not
to run from it, the President said, but for
civilized countries to work together to curb it by
sharing intelligence, improving training and "most
important of all, to hold increasingly accountable
those countries which sponsor terrorism
=
(The DoD report referred to "Iranian connection"
to the attack, but did not directly accuse the
Iran government of involvement or sponsorship.)
The President said the presence of the Marines in
Lebanon had helped lay the foundation for future peace,
restoration of a central government, and establishment
of an effective Lebanese army.
He saw hope of new progress toward Lebanese national
reconciliation and the removal of foreign forces.
The 144 page report was made public on December 28th.
It contained the findings of a five member commission
established by the Secretary of Defense on November
7th and chaired by retired Navy Admiral Robert Long.
The Commission was asked to examine security measures
in place at the time of the October 23 truck-bomb at-
tack, security measures taken since and to make recom-
mendations for improvements.
January 2, 1983
PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON FOOD ASSISTANCE
President Reagan appointed a 13 member Task Force last
August to review food and nutrition programs.
The President said he was perplexed by reports of
hunger in America when public and private efforts to
provide food for the needy were so extensive. The task
force was charged with discovering the extent of the
problem and the reasons for it.
The President has said that one hungry American is one
too many. He asked the task force to examine the
operation of existing public and private programs to
see if improvements were needed in distribution of food
assistance or information about how to get it.
The group will meet in Washington on January 9th to
approve its report. The meeting will be open to press
and public.
The report itself will be made public as soon as
possible after this meeting (probably during the week
of January 16th).
The task force held seven hearings around the country.
The Administration has had no policy input but did
provide logistical assistance. Like the public, Admin-
istration officials await publication of the report to
learn of the task force' recommendations.
Statements by task force members
Press accounts have quoted some task force members de-
scribing the contents of a draft version of the report.
These reports suggest the task force has found local-
ized pockets of poverty and malnutrition in the
country, among children and elderly -- and the report
is said to contain "a menu of recommendations" for
dealing with this problem.
Press accounts also suggest the task force will not
recommend major spending increases in food assistance
programs.
AP quoted one member, Dr. George Graham of Johns
Hopkins University, asserting the problem is not of
national scope. "I don't believe anyone in their right
mind believes that there is a massive hunger problem,"
he said. He said the task force found there were mal-
nourished Americans, including abused and battered
children and "the lonely elderly, who are afraid to
come out. "
Of course, these accounts are not authoritative and
report the individual views of those task force members
who have chosen to speak publicly. Task force members
and staff are still reviewing the draft report and the
task force' work will not be complete until after the
meeting on January 9th.
What will the Administration do with the report?
Officials will review the report and recommendations
as soon as available.
We are prepared to work with appropriate members and
committees of Congress, where necessary, on ways to
implement feasible recommendations.
USDA is separately reviewing the operation of food
assistance programs to learn, for example, why some
jurisdictions which have turned back federal food
assistance dollars nonetheless report significant
incidence of hunger.
What is the Administration now doing to feed the needy?
In short, quite a lot. For example, the federal
government subsidizes 95 million meals a day.
USDA alone spent over $19 billion on food assistance in
fiscal 1983.
That year, more people benefitted from food stamps than
ever in history. The peak participation rate hit 22
million - up 12% from 1980 levels (a recession year).
One out of every 11 Americans got benefitted in FY83.
Food stamp spending rose more than 40% over 1980 --
from $8.3 billion then to about $12 billion in FY83.
Virtually every student from a low-income family
($12,870 for a family of four) can receive a free
school lunch.