I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2989 
To encourage the warring parties of South Sudan to resolve their conflict 
peacefully, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 8, 2015 
Mr. ROONEY of Florida (for himself, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. MCCAUL, Ms. LEE, 
and Mr. FORTENBERRY) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 
on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To encourage the warring parties of South Sudan to resolve 
their conflict peacefully, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘South Sudan Peace 
Promotion and Accountability Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; STATEMENT OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) In December 2013, tensions between polit-
ical leaders sparked a new civil conflict in South 
Sudan that has killed tens of thousands, displaced 
an estimated two million people, including over 
500,000 refugees, and left 4.6 million people—40 
percent of the population—facing the threat of ex-
treme hunger and in need of immediate humani-
tarian assistance. 
(2) Since the United States helped broker the 
2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ulti-
mately set the framework for the 2011 South Sudan 
referendum in which the people of South Sudan 
chose independence, the United States has remained 
the leading donor to South Sudan. 
(3) The warring parties have repeatedly im-
peded and interfered with the delivery of humani-
tarian assistance and threatened aid workers, show-
ing little regard for the dire conditions facing the 
people of South Sudan. 
(4) The warring parties have often defied inter-
national humanitarian and human rights law, com-
mitting acts of sexual violence, recruiting and using 
children as soldiers, and targeting and killing civil-
ians based on their ethnicity or perceived allegiances, 
among other atrocities. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(5) While representatives of the warring parties 
agreed in the January 21, 2015, Arusha Commu-
nique that they bear full responsibility for South Su-
dan’s crisis and that those individuals responsible 
for atrocities should be held accountable, no party to 
the conflict has taken credible steps to hold any sen-
ior civilian or military leader to account, and instead 
continue to commit atrocities with impunity. 
(6) Eight commitments and recommitments to 
cease hostilities have been broken, and the most re-
cent round of peace talks held in Addis Ababa, Ethi-
opia, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental 
Authority on Development (IGAD) from January 
2014 through March 5, 2015, failed to bring mean-
ingful progress to end the war. 
(7) The African Union (AU) has joined the 
Intergovernmental 
Authority 
on 
Development 
(IGAD) in pursuing other options to bring peace in 
South Sudan, including discussion of targeted sanc-
tions on individuals in South Sudan who continue to 
undermine the peace process. 
(8) Regional actors and other external entities 
continue to undermine the peace process through 
various means, including through the transfer of 
arms and other support to the warring parties, and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
through the presence of foreign forces participating 
in the conflict. 
(9) The proliferation of small arms in South 
Sudan continues to fuel the killing of innocent civil-
ians and is instrumental in undermining the peace 
process. 
(10) Attempts to establish peace and stability 
in South Sudan have not resulted in a comprehen-
sive peace agreement, including mediation supported 
by IGAD and initiatives to address divisions within 
the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) 
by Tanzania and South Africa. 
(11) On March 3, 2015, the United Nations Se-
curity Council (UNSC) adopted Security Council 
Resolution 2206 which condemned the flagrant vio-
lations of the various cessation of hostilities agree-
ments, underscored its willingness to impose tar-
geted sanctions against those responsible for actions 
or policies that threatened South Sudan’s peace, se-
curity, or stability, requested that the United Na-
tions Secretary General form a panel of experts to 
identify responsible individuals or entities, and indi-
cated a willingness to consider an arms embargo in 
the future. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(12) On April 3, 2014, President Obama signed 
Executive Order 13664, which allows for additional 
targeted sanctions and a visa ban against those indi-
viduals whose actions threaten the peace, security or 
stability of South Sudan, obstruct the peace talks 
and processes, undermine democratic institutions, or 
commit human rights abuses. The Administration 
has already designated four individuals under this 
order, two from the Government of South Sudan 
and two from the opposition. Canada and the Euro-
pean Union have implemented similar regimes. 
(13) On May 29, 2015, the Government of 
South Sudan expelled the United Nations Humani-
tarian Coordinator, Toby Lanzer, who was tasked 
with overseeing the vast humanitarian operation in 
South Sudan. 
(14) The date July 9, 2015, should signify and 
celebrate South Sudan’s independence and peaceful 
recovery from decades of war, yet the violence 
against children in South Sudan has reached a new 
level of brutality. Children are being aggressively re-
cruited into armed groups on both sides of the con-
flict and forced to participate in a conflict not of 
their making. The psychological and physical effects 
on these children must be recognized and addressed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
and this violence against the innocent must stop im-
mediately. 
(b) STATEMENT OF CONGRESS.—Congress— 
(1) recognizes that there has been a dramatic 
failure of leadership in South Sudan that has left 
South Sudanese civilians in a protracted and unac-
ceptable state of suffering, and that the United 
States stands in solidarity with the people of South 
Sudan as they call for peace; 
(2) urges all parties involved in the conflict to 
immediately cease all violence and work towards a 
negotiated, publicly transparent settlement developed 
through diplomacy and reconciliation, and urges that 
this process be inclusive to South Sudanese civil so-
ciety, including women and traditional leaders, to 
bring about peace and stability in South Sudan; 
(3) stresses the need to adequately commu-
nicate to the South Sudanese people the proposed 
process for the establishment of a transitional gov-
ernment to carry South Sudan through the develop-
ment of a fully inclusive national dialogue, constitu-
tional and internal government reform, national 
peace and reconciliation efforts, and eventually an 
inclusive, credible process towards national elections; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(4) stresses the need for the Administration to 
continue to promote freedoms of association and ex-
pression in South Sudan, and to support the growth 
of effective, resilient, and empowered civil society or-
ganizations, particularly those organizations that are 
transparent, representative, and promote the active 
inclusion and participation of women and girls; 
(5) expresses concern over the March 23, 2015, 
decision of the Parliament of South Sudan to extend 
by three years the terms of President Kiir and other 
elected officials, and urges the Government of South 
Sudan to ensure that this does not curtail the ur-
gent need for a negotiated peace agreement with the 
opposition and a transitional government of national 
unity as had been committed to by both parties in 
IGAD negotiations on May 9, 2014; 
(6) welcomes the efforts by the Administration 
to push for the public release of the full report by 
the AU Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in South 
Sudan, and emphasizes the positive impact the re-
lease of this report, and resulting prosecutions of 
those individuals determined responsible for conflict 
or human rights crimes, would have for account-
ability, justice, and closure for the people of South 
Sudan; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(7) calls on the United States Permanent Rep-
resentative to the United Nations to promote human 
rights monitoring carried out by United Nations 
Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and advocate 
for publicly releasing reports on the human rights 
situation in South Sudan on a regular basis; 
(8) approves of the ongoing efforts by the Ad-
ministration to use the necessary tools, as outlined 
in Security Council Resolution 2206, to increase 
pressure on the warring parties to come to the nego-
tiating table following the failure of the parties to 
meet the March 5, 2015, IGAD deadline in Addis 
Ababa, Ethiopia; 
(9) supports the ongoing efforts by the United 
States Permanent Representative to the United Na-
tions to use the voice, vote, and influence of the 
United States at the United Nations to work with 
regional countries and like-minded countries to fully 
implement Security Council Resolution 2206; 
(10) applauds the United Nations Security 
Council and the Department of the Treasury for im-
posing sanctions on individuals on both sides of the 
conflict in South Sudan and supports the efforts of 
the Department of the Treasury and the Depart-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
ment of State to identify candidates for designation 
under Executive Order 13664; 
(11) urges the Department of the Treasury to 
prioritize investigative actions that uncover the illicit 
financial flows fueling the ongoing violence and con-
tributing to the extended humanitarian suffering of 
the people caught in the conflict; 
(12) supports the establishment of a credible, 
independent hybrid judicial court or investigation by 
the International Criminal Court or other credible 
judicial court and for all parties in South Sudan to 
deliberate in a peaceful manner for transitional jus-
tice and a truth and reconciliation commission; 
(13) urges the Administration to continue to 
offer and further expand support for resilience and 
development programming in parts of South Sudan 
less affected by conflict or otherwise suited for such 
programming in order to preserve and expand where 
possible the fragile gains in health, education, agri-
cultural productivity, and economic development; 
(14) applauds the work of the United Nations 
peacekeeping mission, which by sheltering over 
100,000 people within its compounds has saved 
thousands of live, as well as the continuous humani-
tarian and human rights work in the region from 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
18:02 Jul 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
many national and international nongovernmental 
organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations, 
faith-based groups, and international organizations, 
and calls on all parties to the conflict to respect and 
support the unfettered access of humanitarian orga-
nizations to provide aid to all civilian populations 
during humanitarian crises; 
(15) condemns the expulsion of Toby Lanzer, 
the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator by 
the Government of South Sudan at a time when the 
humanitarian crisis continues to grow; 
(16) urges all parties to respect the neutrality 
of UNMISS sites and expresses the need for the Ad-
ministration to work with the Government of South 
Sudan on its compliance with its Status of Forces 
Agreement with UNMISS to ensure it is respecting, 
supporting and protecting the work of UNMISS per-
sonnel as they endeavor to protect internally dis-
placed people sheltering at UNMISS bases and those 
individuals outside these bases who are displaced by 
the ongoing fighting; and 
(17) expresses the need for the Administration 
to capitalize on opportunities to engage in dialogue 
at the highest levels with like-minded members of 
the international community to further promote 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
positive engagement in South Sudan to bring about 
a reform process that addresses the root causes of 
this conflict. 
SEC. 3. CODIFICATION OF SANCTIONS. 
(a) RESTRICTION.—The sanctions imposed on indi-
viduals identified in the Federal Register as of the date 
of the enactment of this Act related to South Sudan, and 
all other such individuals so identified after such date, 
specified in Executive Order No. 13664 of April 3, 2014 
(Blocking Property of Certain Persons With Respect to 
South Sudan), as in effect on the day before such date 
of enactment, shall remain in effect until the President 
has certified to the appropriate congressional committees 
that such sanctions are no longer necessary. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to limit the authority of the Presi-
dent to impose additional sanctions pursuant to the Inter-
national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 
1701 et seq.), relevant executive orders, regulations, or 
other provisions of law. 
SEC. 4. REPORTING AND STRATEGY. 
(a) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 
shall transmit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report regard-
ing the United States engagement with South 
Sudan. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required under 
paragraph (1) may contain a classified annex and 
shall include the following: 
(A) An update on the peace process and a 
description of the Administration’s direct sup-
port for diplomatic engagement, including the 
United States efforts to mitigate challenges 
that arise within the negotiations, a description 
of those challenges, and the overall diplomatic 
strategy to end the conflict. 
(B) An assessment of the strengths and 
weaknesses of the existing peace process and re-
lated regional activities impacting the process, 
and a plan to strengthen that process or to de-
velop complementary or alternative diplomatic 
efforts to achieve peace and foster stability in 
South Sudan. 
(C) An assessment of the impact of exist-
ing targeted sanctions on South Sudan, includ-
ing those sanctions imposed under Executive 
Order No. 13664 and subsequent actions by the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
17:57 Jul 11, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Administration and international community to 
expand targeted sanctions, and the efforts made 
to date, including an assessment of the pro-
posed impact of and challenges associated with, 
building an international consensus to enforce 
an arms embargo. 
(D) The Administration’s current policy 
regarding the export, sale, distribution, trans-
fer, lending, or gift of defense articles or de-
fense services (as such terms are defined in sec-
tion 47 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
U.S.C. 2794)) to the Government of the Repub-
lic of South Sudan and those armed forces in 
opposition to the Government of the Republic of 
South Sudan. 
(E) A detailed description of the known 
sources of arms and related material dispatched 
to the warring parties since the onset of the 
conflict. 
(F) A description of the efforts taken by 
the Administration to support, develop, main-
tain, or expand foreign assistance programming 
in parts of South Sudan less affected by conflict 
or otherwise suited for such programming. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(G) An assessment of South Sudan’s do-
mestic capacity to support a hybrid judicial 
court and the options for the establishment of 
such a court. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of transmission of the report required 
under subsection (a), the President shall transmit to 
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Re-
lations of the Senate a strategy to guide future 
United States engagement with South Sudan. 
(2) CONTENT OF STRATEGY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) may contain a classified 
annex and shall include the following: 
(A) A plan to help strengthen efforts by 
the United Nations peacekeeping mission in 
concert with the regional and international dip-
lomatic and donor community to protect South 
Sudanese civilians affected by the conflict, par-
ticularly women and children. 
(B) A strategy to advance peace and rec-
onciliation efforts in the South Sudan and for 
supporting the rule of law in affected areas. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(C) An interagency framework plan to co-
ordinate and review diplomatic, development, 
and military elements of United States policy, 
including expended, obligated, and requested 
funding amounts contained in annual budget 
submissions to Congress, for South Sudan and 
the region. 
(D) A description of the Administration’s 
strategy to support documentation and inves-
tigation of instances of human rights abuses 
and corruption, parties’ financing of the con-
flict, and to monitor and combat illicit financial 
flows fueling the ongoing violence, and the re-
sources necessary to adequately support these 
efforts. 
(E) A description of ways the United 
States is working with the United Nations to 
gather information on events taking place on 
the ground in South Sudan that may be attrib-
uting to instability, as well as information on 
those individuals of South Sudan or non-native 
entities that are implicated in violations of 
international and human rights law, and infor-
mation regarding the root causes of the pro-
liferation of weapons in South Sudan, and a 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:07 Jul 10, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2989.IH
H2989
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS