Policy Resources

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) serves the Congress throughout the legislative process by providing comprehensive and reliable research and analysis that are timely and objective. At World Food Program USA, we use CRS reports regularly to track and Congressional affairs and accounts that pertain to our work.

[2024] Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts

[2024] Farm Bill Primer: Budget Dynamics

[2024] United Nations Issues: U.S. Funding to the U.N. System

[2024] United Nations Issues: Overview of the United Nations System

[2024] Selected Outcomes of COP28: Agriculture and Food Systems

[2024] Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2024 Appropriations

[2024] What is the Farm Bill?

[2024] Farm Bill Primer: What is the Farm Bill?

[2024] Farm Bill Primer: Budget Dynamics

[2024] Expiration of the Farm Bill and Extension in 2024

[2024] Next Farm Bill Primer Series

[2023] Global Food Security: Selected Multilateral Efforts

[2023] U.S. Agency for International Development: An Overview

[2022] Farm Bill Primer: U.S. International Food Assistance Overview

[2022] Farm Bill Primer: International Food Aid Programs, McGovern-Dole and Local and Regional Procurement

[2022] Overview of the Global Humanitarian and Displacement Crisis

[2022] Preparing for the Next Farm Bill

[2022] Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Implications for Global Food Prices and Food Security

[2022] Supplemental Funding for Ukraine: Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS)

[2021] U.S. International Food Assistance: An Overview

[2021] Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2021 Appropriations

[2021] The FY2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Budget Request

[2020] International Food Assistance: FY2020 Appropriations

[2020] Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2019 Appropriations

[2020] COVID-19 and Global Food Security: Issues for Congress

[2020]COVID-19 and Foreign Assistance: Issues for Congress

[2019] FY2018 and FY2019 Agriculture Appropriations: International Food Aid 

[2019] International Food Assistance: Food for Peace Nonemergency Programs 

[2019] Transformation at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)  

[2019] 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334) Primer Series: A Guide to Omnibus Farm and Food Legislation 

[2018] U.S. International Food Assistance: An Overview

[2018] Foreign Aid: An Introduction to US Programs and Policy

[2018] The Marshall Plan: Design, Accomplishments and Significance

[2018] Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs: FY2018 Budget and Appropriations

[2018] Farm Bill Programs without a Budget Baseline beyond FY2018

[2018] U.S. Farm Commodity Support: An Overview of Selected Programs

[2016] The Obama Administration’s Feed the Future Initiative

[2015] United Nations Reform: Background and Issues for Congress

[2015] U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): Background, Operations, and Issues

[2011] The Obama Administration’s Feed the Future Initiative

[2010] Multilateral Development Banks: U.S. Contributions FY1998-FY2009

[2009] The U.S. Global Food Security Initiative: Issues for Congress

[2008] Rising Food Prices and Global Food Needs: The U.S. Response

[2003] The Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust: Background and Current Issues

Foreign Assistance:

[2016] International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Response Mechanisms

[2016] Does Foreign Aid Work? Efforts to Evaluate U.S. Foreign Assistance

[2016] Millennium Challenge Corporation

[2016] Foreign Aid: An Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy

[2016] U.S. International Food Aid Programs: Background and Issues

[2015] Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Fact Sheet on Legislation, FY1995-FY2015

[2013] International Food Aid: U.S. and Other Donor Contributions

[2013] Foreign Aid: International Donor Coordination of Development Assistance

[2011] Africa: U.S. Foreign Assistance Issues

[2011] U.S. Global Food Security Funding, FY2010-FY2012

[2011] Foreign Operations Appropriations: General Provisions

[2010] Local and Regional Procurement for U.S. International Emergency Food Aid

[2010] Foreign Assistance Act of 1961: Authorizations and Corresponding Appropriations

[2009] Foreign Aid Reform, National Strategy, and the Quadrennial Review

[2009] Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs

[2009] Foreign Aid Reform: Agency Coordination

[2009] Foreign Aid Reform: Studies and Recommendations

[2008] International Food Aid Provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill

[2008] International Crises and Disasters, U.S. Humanitarian Assistance, Budget Trends, and Issues for Congress

[2008] Foreign Aid Reform: Issues for Congress and Policy Options

[2007] Restructuring U.S. Foreign Aid: The Role of the Director of Foreign Assistance in Transformational Development

[2005] International Disasters and Humanitarian Assistance: U.S. Governmental Response

[2005] Foreign Aid: An Introductory Overview of U.S. Programs and Policy

[2005] Foreign Aid: Understanding Data Used to Compare Donors

2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999

2017, 2016, 2015, 2014

2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is known as “the investigative arm of Congress” and “the congressional watchdog.” GAO supports the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and helps improve the performance and accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people.

[2022] Global Food Security: Coordination of U.S. Assistance Can Be Improved

[2021] Global Food Security: Improved Monitoring Framework Needed to Assess and Report on Feed the Future’s Performance

[2020] Global Food Security: Information on Spending and Types of Assistance Provided by the United States and Other Donors

[2017] Cargo Preference Increased Food Aid Shipping Cost; Benefits Remain Unclear

[2017] Agencies Should Ensure Timely Documentation of Required Market Analyses and Assess Local Markets for Program Effects

[2017] USAID Has Controls for Implementation and Support Costs but Should Strengthen Financial Oversight

[2017] Foreign Assistance – Agencies Can Improve the Quality and Dissemination of Program Evaluations

[2016] USAID Has Established Processes to Monitor Cash and Voucher Projects, but Data Limitations Impede Evaluation

[2016] Syria Humanitarian Assistance: Implementing Partners Have Assessed Some Risks of Providing Aid inside Syria, but U.S. Agencies Could Improve Fraud Oversight

[2016] Actions Needed to Improve Transparency and Quality of Data on ForeignAssistance.gov

[2016] U.S. Agency for International Development—Nonemergency Food Assistance

[2015] USAID Should Systematically Assess the Effectiveness of Key Conditional Food Aid Activities

[2015] Cargo Preference Increases Food Aid Shipping Costs, and Benefits Are Unclear

[2014] Prepositioning Speeds Delivery of Emergency Aid, but Additional Monitoring of Time Frames and Costs Is Needed

[2014] Better Agency Collaboration Needed to Assess and Improve Emergency Food Aid Procurement System

[2013] USAID Is Improving Coordination but Needs to Require Systematic Assessments of Country-Level Risks

[2013] U.S. Assistance to Yemen: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Emergency Food Aid and Assess Security Assistance

[2012] International Food Assistance: U.S. Nonemergency Food Aid Programs Have Similar Objectives but Some Planning Helps Limit Overlap

[2012] Improved Targeting Would Help Enable USAID to Reach Vulnerable Groups

[2012] Stronger Controls Needed in High-Risk Areas

[2011] Funding Development Projects through the Purchase, Shipment, and Sale of U.S. Commodities Is Inefficient and Can Cause Adverse Market Impacts

[2011] USDA’s Oversight of the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program Needs Improvement

[2011] Better Nutrition and Quality Control Can Further Improve U.S. Food Aid

[2010] Progress toward a U.S. Governmentwide Strategy Is Under Way, but Approach Has Several Vulnerabilities

[2009] A U.S. Governmentwide Strategy Could Accelerate Progress toward Global Food Security

[2009] USAID Is Taking Actions to Improve Monitoring and Evaluation of Nonemergency Food Aid, but Weaknesses in Planning Could Impede Efforts

[2009] Local and Regional Procurement Provides Opportunities to Enhance U.S. Food Aid, but Challenges May Constrain Its Implementation

[2021] Revisiting maternal and child undernutrition in low-income and middle-income countries: variable progress towards an unfinished agenda

[2021] Mobilising evidence, data, and resources to achieve global maternal and child undernutrition targets and the Sustainable Development Goals: an agenda for action

2013, 2008 [Executive Summaries]

U.S. International Food Assistance Reports

2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006

Emergency Food Security Program – Reports to Congress

2021, 2020 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010

General

Food for Peace Funding Overview 

How Title II Food Aid Works 

Global Food Security Strategy Implementation Report, FY 2022 

[2019] Food for Peace FY19 Annual Report

[2017] Food For Peace FY16 Annual Report

[2017] U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy Implementation

[2017] Food for Peace, Year in Review

[2016] Food Assistance and Food Security Strategy, 2016-2025

[2016] Food for Peace Act, Section 202(e) Funding Report

[2013] Food for Peace: How Title II Food Aid Works

[2011] Food Aid Quality Review