Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, “has scheduled a hearing on reforming food aid next week, setting up a bitter fight with farm state lawmakers,” The Hill’s “Global Affairs” blog reports. Last month, Royce and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) introduced legislation (.pdf) that would “eliminate the requirement that food assistance to starving nations be produced in the United States and shipped on U.S.-flagged vessels” and that “closely tracks” food aid reform described in President Obama’s FY 2014 budget proposal, according to the blog. “Opponents say the reforms would gut a Cold War-era program that provides crucial support for U.S. farmers,” the blog writes (Pecquet, 6/6).