Overview
Title
To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 with respect to emergency assistance for farm workers, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
H. R. 8765 wants to change an older law to help farmers and workers when there are big problems like storms or health issues by giving money to groups that help farmers so they can provide direct help and build stronger support systems.
Summary AI
H. R. 8765 aims to modify the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to provide emergency help for farm workers affected by disasters. It allows for grants to be given to organizations that support farm workers, which can be used for direct relief, increasing disaster resilience, and infrastructure support. The bill defines disasters to include events like weather issues or health crises and specifies what organizations can qualify for these grants. The funds awarded will remain available until they are fully used.
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AnalysisAI
General Summary
The proposed legislation, H.R. 8765, titled the "Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act," seeks to amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990. It aims to provide emergency assistance to farm workers affected by various disasters. The bill empowers the Secretary of Agriculture to grant funds to eligible farm worker organizations during emergencies. These grants can be used for immediate relief, building future resilience within farm worker communities, and supporting necessary infrastructure and emergency services.
Summary of Significant Issues
One of the primary concerns with the bill is the broad definition of what constitutes a "covered disaster." The bill lists an extensive range of potential disasters, including adverse weather events and health crises. It also gives the Secretary of Agriculture the discretion to include other unspecified events, raising the possibility of subjective interpretations that could lead to funds being used inappropriately.
Additionally, the bill lacks specific oversight or accountability measures to monitor how the funds are distributed and used. This absence could contribute to inefficiencies or misuse of the funds. The criteria for what constitutes an "eligible farm worker organization" are quite inclusive, potentially allowing many organizations to qualify, which could dilute the intended impact of the aid.
Impact on the Public
The bill's broad scope of assistance offers the potential for farm workers to receive much-needed support in times of disaster. By helping these workers, the bill could stabilize the agricultural workforce, which is crucial to the overall food supply chain. In the long run, this support could benefit the general public by ensuring a steady supply of agricultural products despite adverse conditions.
However, the lack of clear guidelines and accountability measures could lead to inefficiencies, possibly resulting in slower or inadequate responses to genuine disasters. This could undermine public confidence in the program's effectiveness.
Impact on Stakeholders
Positive Impact on Farm Workers and Organizations:
For farm workers, especially those who are part of migrant and seasonal labor forces, the legislation could provide critical support during disasters, ensuring they have access to essential services and infrastructure when most needed. Eligible organizations with established track records could use the funding to amplify their support and develop long-term strategies for building resilience against future disasters.
Potential Negative Impact on Taxpayers and Government Oversight:
Without stringent oversight, taxpayers might be concerned about the effective use of their contributions, given the potential for wasteful spending due to the lack of specific accountability frameworks. The provision allowing funds to remain available until expended could delay necessary expenditures, challenging the government’s ability to respond promptly.
Impact on Policy and Administration:
The Secretary of Agriculture's significant discretionary power to define additional covered disasters could lead to inconsistent application of the law. This variability could invite lobbying and influence from various interest groups, potentially skewing resource allocation away from those most in need.
Overall, while the bill aims to provide a safety net for farm workers in times of crisis, ensuring its success will require careful consideration of these issues to maximize its impact on the intended beneficiaries and maintain public trust in its objectives.
Issues
The broad definition of 'covered disaster' in Section 2281(f)(1) could lead to misuse or overextension of funds by allowing a wide range of events to qualify for emergency relief, including subjective determinations by the Secretary.
The lack of specific accountability or auditing mechanisms in Section 2281 for monitoring or managing the grants and funds by receiving organizations may lead to potential misuse or ineffective allocation of resources.
The criteria for 'eligible farm worker organization' in Section 2281(f)(2) are overly broad, potentially allowing a large number of organizations to qualify and thus diluting the focus and effectiveness of aid distribution.
There are no specific guidelines or metrics in Section 2281(b) for allocating funding to different permissible usages under 'use of funds,' which could result in inconsistencies or inefficiencies in fund utilization.
The provision in Section 2281(c) allowing funds to remain available until expended could decrease accountability and delay the timely and efficient use of resources intended for emergency assistance.
The vague language in Section 2281(d) regarding the 'promotional plan' offers no guidance on what it should entail or how to measure its effectiveness, leading to the risk of unnecessary spending on promotional activities.
The phrase 'such other event or condition' as used in Section 2281(f)(1)(C) and determined appropriate by the Secretary is vague and open to subjective interpretation, which could result in biased allocation of resources or increased lobbying.
The legislation lacks requirements for reporting or accountability measures in Section 2281 to ensure that funds are properly used, and that relief reaches the intended beneficiaries, which poses a risk to effective governance.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section is titled "Short title" and states that this legislation will be known as the “Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act.”
2. Emergency assistance for farm workers Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section provides emergency assistance for farm workers facing disasters such as extreme weather and health crises. It allows the Secretary of Agriculture to give grants to organizations that help farm workers by providing relief, building emergency capabilities, and supporting communities with necessary infrastructure.
2281. Emergency assistance for farm workers Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
For fiscal year 2024 and each following year, this section authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to give grants to farm worker organizations to help farm workers during emergencies like hurricanes or pandemics. The funds can be used for immediate aid, building future resilience, and infrastructure support, and the Secretary must consult with farm worker groups and create a promotional plan to ensure awareness of the relief efforts.