03 October 2001

Rep. Kaptur Stresses Urgency of Food Aid for Afghanistan, Region

By Steve La Rocque
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Representative Marcy Kaptur (Democrat of Ohio) submitted a resolution to the House of Representatives October 2 on the urgency of providing food and agricultural assistance to the people of Afghanistan and to Afghan refugees in nearby countries.

Kaptur, a 10-term member of Congress, introduced House Concurrent Resolution 240 (H. Con. Res. 240) with four co-sponsors from her party. The proposed resolution was referred to the House International Relations Committee.

H. Con. Res. 240 also would express the sense of Congress that such assistance should be made available to the "civilian populations of other countries in the central Asia region, including Pakistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan."

Kaptur, who has worked on humanitarian and human rights issues, was responsible for the first major shipments of U.S. agricultural commodities to Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority, with proceeds going to peace-building economic and social development projects.

In her legislative career, Kaptur has also sought to advance democratic-institution building in emerging democracies and has spearheaded private charitable efforts for people in developing nations.

One of the co-sponsors of H. Con. Res. 240, fellow Ohioan Representative Tony Hall, has been an outspoken advocate for famine relief in both Asia and Africa.