H. Res. 187 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

April 25, 2017. 

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 on the part of the Government of South Sudan and the armed opposition to 

prolong the conflict South Sudan is experiencing a ‘‘manmade’’ 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 
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(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; 

Whereas the areas where famine has been declared have seen 

some of the most intense fighting; 

Whereas USAID has been a leading provider of humanitarian 

support to South Sudan, including more than 620,000 

tons of life-saving food assistance since the conflict broke 

out in 2013; and 

Whereas support provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNICEF, and the 

World Food Program have been critical in reducing the 

number of civilians at risk of severe malnutrition: Now, 

therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives 

that— 

(A) the Administrator of the United States 

Agency for International Development should con-
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tinue to provide immediate and robust assistance to 

respond to the famine in South Sudan by providing 

food and other essential resources and to collaborate with international relief organizations, such as 

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 be encouraged to continue to provide desperately needed 

and locally appropriate food aid through the Food 

for Peace and Emergency Food Security Programs; 

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, including the 

over 70 humanitarian aid workers killed since the 

conflict began and the brutal attack by the South 
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Sudanese military on humanitarian aid workers, including Americans, at the Terrain Camp in July 

2016; 

(D) condemns the multiple instances in which 

security forces have looted humanitarian assistance 

destined for civilians in need; and 

(E) supports effort 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. 

Attest: 

Clerk.