In two letters issued to President Bush from a bipartisan group of Senators and House Members, the Members expressed concern that the CPA is importing food from non-coalition members. In both letters the delegation stated, "We think the CPA policy for food tenders should be consistent with the CPA reconstruction policy and restrict contracts to countries that have sacrificed and invested in the Coalition effort to free Iraq."

During the mid-1980s, U.S. rice sales to Iraq averaged 345,000 metric tons annually. However, due to sanctions imposed by the U.N. in 1991, the U.S. rice industry lost the market. Currently, other major rice-exporting nations such as Vietnam - who are not members of the Provisional Authority - are permitted to bid on World Food Program administered tenders. The World Food Program currently coordinates food imports and exports to Iraq. In fact, Vietnam successfully bid recently on a WFP tender for 70,000 tons of rice for Iraq. This tendor should have been restricted to rice from CPA members. 

Lincoln, Pryor, Berry, Ross, and Boozman are working with the USA Rice Federation, the nation's largest rice industry advocate, on this effort. Other Members of Congress sending the Senate letter include Senators Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.), John Breaux (D-La.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Jim Talent(R-Mo.), and Mary Landrieu (D-La.). Other Members sending the House letter include Representatives Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), House Majority Whip Roy Blunt(R-Mo.), Chris John(D-La.), Rodney Alexander (D-La.), Richard Baker (R-La.), David Vitter (R-La.), Wally Herger (R-Calif.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Dennis Cordoza (D-Calif.), Doug Ose (R-Calif.), and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).