IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 187 

Relating to efforts to respond to the famine in South Sudan. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 9, 2017 

Ms. 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; 


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•HRES 187 IH 

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 

1 Resolved, That— 


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•HRES 187 IH 

1 (1) it is the sense of the House of Representa2 tives that— 

3 (A) the Administrator of the United States 

4 Agency for International Development should 

5 increase emergency funding by $100,000,000 

6 (or such funds as may be necessary) in March 

7 2017 to respond to the famine in South Sudan 

8 by providing food and other essential resources 

9 and to collaborate with international relief orga10 nizations, such as the World Food Program and 

11 others in an effort to reach vulnerable popu12 lations; and 

13 (B) the Administrator of the United States 

14 Agency for International Development should 

15 provide emergency food assistance under the 

16 Food for Peace Act, including wheat, rice, corn, 

17 and sorghum; and 

18 (2) the House of Representatives— 

19 (A) calls upon the Government of South 

20 Sudan to declare and observe a cessation of 

21 hostilities to allow food and essential supplies to 

22 reach affected civilians; 

23 (B) urges specifically that the Government 

24 of South Sudan allow immediate and unreVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:37 Mar 10, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR187.IH HR187

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•HRES 187 IH 

1 stricted humanitarian access to southern Unity, 

2 where the famine is currently underway; 

3 (C) condemns all threats and violence 

4 against civilian populations and aid workers; 

5 and 

6 (D) supports efforts of the United States 

7 Government, working with partners in the 

8 international community, including the United 

9 Nations, the African Union, and the European 

10 Union to facilitate humanitarian access to af11 fected areas, and encourages greater diplomatic 

12 pressure on the parties to return to the negotia13 tion table to stop the violence, and to allow full 

14 humanitarian access. 

Æ 


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