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HR 1207

Commending Jennifer Marquez for her contributions as principal of Robert R. Rojas Elementary School.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Mary González

Transfers USAID's Food for Peace authorities to the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure quick regulatory changes and program continuity, with FEWS NET preserved and State consulted.

Reported enrolled
#marquez #jennifer(nc4t0) #resolutions--congratulatory&honorary(i0705)
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Bill Summary · HR 1207

Summary — H.R. 1207

Overview

H.R. 1207 is recorded as a House resolution commending Jennifer Marquez as principal of Robert R. Rojas Elementary School (title/subject). However, the bill text provided contains substantive statutory language that would transfer authorities and responsibilities for implementing the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) from the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Secretary of Agriculture. The summary below describes the operative text, while noting the apparent mismatch between the bill’s title and its substantive provisions.

Main purpose

To transfer all USAID functions, duties, responsibilities and related authorities tied to carrying out any authority under the Food for Peace Act to the Secretary of Agriculture, and to permit the Secretary to exercise existing statutory authorities and immediately implement regulatory changes necessary to preserve program continuity.

Key provisions

  • Transfer of functions: Beginning on the date of enactment, the functions, duties, responsibilities, assets, liabilities, orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, grants, loans, contracts, agreements, certificates, licenses, and privileges of the USAID Administrator relating to carrying out any authority under the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) are transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture.
  • References updated: Any statutory or regulatory reference to the USAID Administrator or Agency for the transferred authorities is deemed a reference to the Secretary of Agriculture or to the Department of Agriculture office to which the Secretary assigns the functions.
  • Regulatory implementation: The Secretary of Agriculture may implement needed amendments to regulations by publishing interim final rules that may be made effective immediately on publication to ensure continuity of programs.
  • Exercise of authorities: Existing statutory authorities available to USAID that have been or could be used to implement Food for Peace may be exercised by the Secretary of Agriculture.
  • Exception — FEWS NET: The Secretary of Agriculture shall continue to carry out the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) or a successor program, which provides objective analyses of potential or existing famine/flood situations to help mitigate food insecurity.
  • Interagency consultation: The Secretary of Agriculture must consult with the Secretary of State from time to time in carrying out authorities under Title II of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.).

Who is affected

  • USAID: transfer of significant programmatic authorities and related assets/liabilities tied to Food for Peace.
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture: assumes operational and legal responsibility for Food for Peace authorities and implementation.
  • Secretary of State: required to be consulted on Title II execution.
  • International food assistance programs and partners (grantees, contractors, foreign recipients) potentially affected by administrative and regulatory transition.

Timeline / Procedural status

  • Introduced in House: February 11, 2025.
  • Referred to Foreign Affairs and Agriculture Committees.
  • Subsequent procedural actions (placed on calendars, adopted, reported enrolled) appear in May 2025; status listed as “Reported enrolled.”
  • Effective date for transfer: “beginning on the date of enactment.”

Potential impact and considerations

  • Administrative shift of international food aid authorities from a foreign-aid agency (USAID) to an agriculture-focused agency (USDA) could affect program management, policy priorities, staffing, and diplomatic coordination.
  • Immediate-effect interim final rules permit quick regulatory alignment but could reduce opportunity for prior notice-and-comment.
  • Continuation of FEWS NET preserves a core early-warning function, though broader programmatic coordination with diplomacy (State) remains required by consultation provision.
  • Legal and contractual transitions (grants, contracts, licenses) will need operational implementation to avoid service interruptions.

Sponsors and related legislation

  • Primary/lead identified: Rep. Tracey Mann (and many cosponsors listed).
  • Companion bill: S. 525.
  • Note: The bill’s title and subject (congratulatory resolution for Jennifer Marquez) do not match the substantive statutory transfer language included in the version text provided. Users should consult the official enrolled bill text and Congressional record to confirm the correct final content and intent.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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