 Butcher's Influence on the United States Foreign Policy on Global Hunger

In 1977, Butcher became the first black woman to hold the position of assistant administrator to AID Africa.One of Butcher's "first actions upon becoming assistant administrator for Africa, was to examine the steps AID had taken in the past to provide opportunity for entities owned, managed or principally identified with minorities and women to serve in its program as contractors and grantees…"  In her new position, Butcher testified before Congress in hearings dealing with the inadequacy of small business contracting policies in the Africa Bureau due to contracting barriers constructed during the Ford administration.Butcher believed that AID had a responsibility "to assure that contractors exercise equal opportunity employment,"  and this responsibility had been "virtually ignored."