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ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FOR THE RECORD 

 SUBMITTED BY 

 REPRESENTATIVE WAYNE ALLARD 

 SUBCOMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AGRICULTURE AND HUNGER 

 COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 

 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

 TO 

 GAO WITNESS ALLAN I. MENDELOWITZ 

 MANAGING DIRECTOR 

 INTERNATIONAL TRADE, FINANCE AND COMPETITIVENESS 

 GENERAL GOVERNMENT DIVISION 



NOVEMBER 10, 1993 



1. 



PLEASE COMMENT ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TRADE PROMOTION 

 COORDINATING COMMITTEE TO REQUIRE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE 

 A UNIFIED BUDGET FOR EXPORT PROMOTION PROGRAMS BY 1995. IN YOUR 

 OPINION SHOULD THIS UNIFIED BUDGET INCLUDE ALL FAS PROGRAMS, EVEN 

 THOSE THAT ARE NOT EXPORT PROMOTION PROGRAMS SUCH AS EEP AND THE 

 CREDIT GUARANTEE PROGRAMS? 



Developing a unified budget for all export promotion activities 

 is one of the primary objectives assigned to the TPCC by the 

 Export Enhancement Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-429). USDA programs, 

 such as the Export Enhancement Program (EEP) and the General 

 Sales Manager (GSM) 102 and 103 credit guarantee programs, which 

 are both designed to increase U.S. agricultural exports, and 

 represent a substantial budgetary commitment, should be included 

 in any governmentwide export promotion plan, and unified budget. 



2. 



FAS ASSIGNS 80 PERSONNEL TO OVERSEAS POSTS. BASED ON YOUR 

 REVIEWS DOES THE GEOGRAPHICAL ASSIGNMENT COINCIDE WITH THE US 

 AGRICULTURAL TRADE POTENTIAL? 



As of April of 1993, FAS had 104 agricultural attaches assigned 

 to 77 posts, in 62 countries around the globe. In addition, FAS 

 employs about 150 full-time foreign service national (FSN) 

 employees , and about the same number of contract employees 

 overseas. Many of the FSN employees, and about 1/3 of the 

 contract employees, work as professional staff at FAS posts. 

 With that number of overseas posts and the level of staffing, the 

 geographical placement generally coincides with markets having 

 significant potential for U.S. exports. 



Nevertheless, FAS needs to re-evaluate how its overseas staff 

 resources are used in order to enhance their contribution to 

 Increasing U.S. exports. For example, over a third of FAS 



