III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 114 

Expressing the sense of the Senate on humanitarian crises in Nigeria, 

Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 5 (legislative day, APRIL 4), 2017 

Mr. YOUNG (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. COONS, Mr. RUBIO, 

Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BOOKER, and Mr. MERKLEY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JUNE 5, 2017 

Reported by Mr. CORKER, with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic] 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 

Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate on humanitarian crises 

in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen. 

Whereas Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen are all 

in famine, pre-famine, or at risk of famine in 2017; 

Whereas according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 20,000,000 

people are at risk of starvation this year in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 114 ATS 

Whereas, on March 22, 2017, Mr. Yves Daccord, the Director-General of the International Committee of the Red 

Cross, testified before Congress that the crisis represents 

‘‘one of the most critical humanitarian issues to face 

mankind since the end of the Second World War’’ and 

warned that ‘‘we are at the brink of a humanitarian 

mega-crisis unprecedented in recent history’’; 

Whereas according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), ‘‘[m]ore than 5.1 million 

people face severe food insecurity in northeastern Nigeria’’; 

Whereas according to USAID, ‘‘An estimated 6.2 million people—more than half of Somalia’s total population—currently require urgent humanitarian assistance.’’; 

Whereas according to USAID, ‘‘An estimated 5.5 million people—nearly half of South Sudan’s population—will face 

life threatening hunger by July.’’; 

Whereas according to USAID, in Yemen, ‘‘More than seventeen million people—an astounding 60% of the country’s 

population—are food insecure, including seven million 

people who are unable to survive without food assistance.’’; 

Whereas according to the United Nations Children’s Fund 

(UNICEF), ‘‘[s]ome 22 million children have been left 

hungry, sick, displaced and out of school in the four 

countries’’ and ‘‘Nearly 1.4 million are at imminent risk 

of death this year from severe malnutrition.’’; 

Whereas the humanitarian crises in each of these regions are, 

to varying degrees, man-made and preventable—exacerbated by armed conflict and deliberate restrictions on humanitarian access; 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 114 ATS 

Whereas parties to the conflicts, including even some government forces, have harassed, attacked, and killed humanitarian workers, blocked and hindered humanitarian access, and continue to deprive the world’s most hungry 

people of the food they need; 

Whereas humanitarian actors, coordinated by OCHA, have 

appealed for $5,600,000,000 in 2017 to address famines 

in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia; and 

Whereas Mr. Daccord testified before Congress on March 22, 

2017, ‘‘Our main message is clear: immediate, decisive 

action is needed to prevent vast numbers of people starving to death.’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE SENATE. 

3 It is the sense of the Senate that— 

4 (1) an urgent and comprehensive international 

5 diplomatic effort is necessary to address obstacles in 

6 Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are 

7 preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered to 

8 millions of people who desperately need it; 

9 (2) the United States should encourage other 

10 governments to join in providing the resources nec11 essary to address the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, 

12 Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; 

13 (3) parties to the conflicts in Nigeria, Somalia, 

14 South Sudan, and Yemen should allow and facilitate 

15 rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 114 ATS 

1 for civilians in need and respect and protect humani2 tarian and medical relief personnel and objects; 

3 (4) the United States, working with inter4 national partners, should support efforts to hold ac5 countable those responsible for deliberate restrictions 

6 on humanitarian access in Nigeria, Somalia, South 

7 Sudan, and Yemen; and 

8 (5) the contributions of charities, non-profit or9 ganizations, religious organizations, and businesses 

10 of the United States have an important role in ad11 dressing humanitarian crises. 

12 SEC. 2. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 

13 Nothing in this resolution shall be construed as a dec14 laration of war or authorization to use force. 

Æ 


lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with BILLS