Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume II, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs

242. Memorandum From the President’s Special Assistant for Health Issues (Bourne) to President Carter¹

Washington, February 2, 1978

SUBJECT

• Meeting with Congressional Delegation Concerning a Presidential Commission on World Hunger, February 3, 1978, 9:45 AM, Cabinet Room²

I. Purpose

These are the key sponsors of the resolutions passed in both Houses calling on you to establish a Presidential Commission on Domestic and International Hunger and Malnutrition. The purpose of the meeting is to allow them the opportunity to convince you to act on the resolutions and establish such a commission.³

It is also an opportunity for you, whether or not you are willing to establish the commission, to reaffirm your deep interest in the problem of world hunger.

II. Participants, Background, Press

a. Participants

Senate	House
Henry L. Bellmon	Anthony Beilenson
Dick Clark	Paul Findley
Bob Dole	Thomas Foley
Patrick Leahy	Donald Fraser
George McGovern	Benjamin Gilman
John Sparkman	Richard Nolan
Richard (Dick) Stone	James Weaver

Harry Chapin—Rock Singer, who was largely responsible for lobbying the resolution through the Congress.

Peter Bourne	Richard Harden	Frank Moore
Charles O’Keeffe		Bill Cable
Gerald Fill		Dan Tate4

b. Background

During the last session, the Congress passed resolutions calling on you to establish a Commission. Passage was unanimous in the Senate and 364–38 in the House.

On January 14 you received a letter from 114 members of the House requesting you to take action by establishing the Commission.⁵ Senator Humphrey wrote to you on December 5⁶ urging you to establish it.

The Commission they seek would:

1. Examine existing programs and studies related to hunger.

2. Develop policy and legislative recommendations.

3. Stimulate public awareness of the problem

Our position during the last Congress was that we had “no objection.”

c. Press—photo opportunity

III. Talking Points⁷

—The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization estimates 1/2 billion people lack minimum nourishment.⁸

—The issues involved are complex and require priority attention. Among them is the relationship between worldwide hunger and malnutrition and the maldistribution⁹ of worldwide food resources.

—It is in our interest and that of the entire world to address the problem. Better food populations have less incentive for conflict and greater capacity for economic development which makes them better trading partners.

—In order for us to make our contributions toward alleviating hunger most effective, we must have a well-defined and coordinated food and development policy reflecting the relationship between domestic and international hunger and malnutrition.

—Reaffirm your deep interest in the problem of World Hunger. On June 4 of last year you instructed Chip, Zbig, Stu and I¹⁰ to get together and let you know what could be done. A White House Working Group was formed and its recommendations will be submitted to you within the next two weeks. You have directed the Secretary of Agriculture to form a working group on Food and Agricultural Policy comprised of State, Treasury, AID, OMB, NSC, and the Council of Economic Advisers.¹¹

—They will want you to agree to set up the Commission. I feel it would be an important vehicle for mobilizing public awareness and support for a U.S. effort to deal with world hunger and an important mechanism for building broader support for foreign aid as you recommended in the development assistance memo,¹² including involving entertainment and other public figures including your mother who is working with Richard Harden on the issue.¹³ Our working group will recommend creation of the Commission. I understand your reservations in general about establishing commissions, but believe this is one which should be established.

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Subject Chron File, Box 93, Food: 1978. Sent under cover of a February 9 memorandum from Erb and Thornton to Brzezinski and a February 3 note from Inderfurth to Erb instructing Erb to “send Brzezinski a recommendation by the early part of next week.” (Ibid.) A notation in the President’s handwriting reads: “Bob—Peter—Stu—Zbig, Have me a final option paper to set up Commission within 2 weeks—J.C.” Another copy of the memorandum is in the Carter Library, Office of the Staff Secretary, Handwriting File, Presidential File, Box 71, 2/3/78. The final version of the options paper is printed as Document 244.
2. The meeting took place on February 3 in the Cabinet Room from 9:47 to 10:10 a.m. Following the meeting, the President met privately with Dole in the Oval Office. (Carter Library, Presidential Materials, President’s Daily Diary) Minutes of the meeting were not found.
3. See footnote 3, Document 227.
4. The President placed check marks next to Leahy’s and Nolan’s names and placed an arrow in the margin next to Chapin’s. According to the Digest of Other White House Announcements, Chapin also attended the February 3 meeting. (Public Papers: Carter, 1978, Book I, p. 277)
5. Presumable reference to a January 24 letter from Nolan and Gilman to the President, in which they emphasized congressional initiatives regarding establishment of a Commission on Domestic and International Hunger and Nutrition and stressed their displeasure regarding what they considered to be insufficient White House attention to the issue. They, and their 112 bipartisan House cosponsors, encouraged Carter to “give full personal consideration to why the House (and the Senate) passed the resolution by an overwhelming margin” and encouraged the President to meet with the major sponsors and the congressional leadership. (Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subject Files, Box FG–224, Executive, FG–311, 1/20/77–10/31/79)
6. See Document 238.
7. The President wrote in the right-hand margin: “ Harry Chapin.”
8. The President underlined “1/2 billion” and “lack minimum nourishment.”
9. The President underlined “malnutrition” and “maldistribution.”
10. See footnote 1, Document 212. The President underlined the names and changed the typewritten word “I” to “me.”
11. See Document 230. The President underlined “working group,” “State,” “Treasury,” “AID,” “OMB,” “NSC,” and “Council of Economic Advisers.”
12. The memorandum is scheduled for publication in Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, volume III, Foreign Economic Policy.
13. According to a December 9, 1977, memorandum summarizing a White House meeting on world hunger, Lillian Carter—the President’s mother—and actress Shirley MacLaine had previously met and “recounted their experiences about living in poverty in India.” MacLaine expressed interest “in lending her talent and status to raising consciousness about the problem of world hunger, its causes and some possible solutions.” (Carter Library, White House Central Files, Subject Files, Box HE–6, Executive, HE–3, 9/30/77–12/31/77)