H.Res. 187 — Introduced in House

IV 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 187 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 9, 2017Ms. Bass (for herself, Ms. Lee, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Capuano, Mr. Keating, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Castro of Texas, Ms. Gabbard, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Sires, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Schneider, Mrs. Torres, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Cohen, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Sherman, and Mr. Hastings) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Relating to efforts to respond to the famine in South Sudan. Whereas, on February 20, 2017, famine was formally declared in parts of South Sudan; Whereas South Sudan is the world’s newest nation and for the past three years has experienced an ongoing armed conflict and the deliberate hindrance by the Government of South Sudan of humanitarian access to opposition communities in need; Whereas due to this deliberate action South Sudan is experiencing a man-made famine currently affecting 100,000 people; Whereas according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) food insecurity is already prevalent in South Sudan and the ongoing conflict is exacerbating the situation; Whereas the United Nations has reported that 4,900,000 people, over 40 percent of the population, are in urgent need of food, agriculture, and nutritional assistance; Whereas there are 1,900,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) residing in South Sudan and according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) an average of approximately 2,400 South Sudanese refugees arrive in Uganda every day; Whereas 1,000,000 children in South Sudan are suffering from malnutrition in part due to the deliberate actions of the Government of South Sudan, at the same time according to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) there are more than 17,000 child soldiers forced into combat; Whereas an anticipated 5,500,000 people are at risk for starvation by mid-year and without urgent humanitarian intervention civilians will continue to die from acute malnutrition and millions more will remain at risk; Whereas failure to act prior to the upcoming rainy season May to August, will further impede humanitarian efforts; and Whereas the areas where famine has been declared have seen some of the most intense fighting: Now, therefore, be it That— (1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (A) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development should increase emergency funding by $100,000,000 (or such funds as may be necessary) in March 2017 to respond to the famine in South Sudan by providing food and other essential resources and to collaborate with international relief organizations, such as the World Food Program and others in an effort to reach vulnerable populations; and (B) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development should provide emergency food assistance under the Food for Peace Act, including wheat, rice, corn, and sorghum; and (2) the House of Representatives— (A) calls upon the Government of South Sudan to declare and observe a cessation of hostilities to allow food and essential supplies to reach affected civilians; (B) urges specifically that the Government of South Sudan allow immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to southern Unity, where the famine is currently underway; (C) condemns all threats and violence against civilian populations and aid workers; and (D) supports efforts of the United States Government, working with partners in the international community, including the United Nations, the African Union, and the European Union to facilitate humanitarian access to affected areas, and encourages greater diplomatic pressure on the parties to return to the negotiation table to stop the violence, and to allow full humanitarian access.