Title: Relating to efforts to respond to the famine in South Sudan.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the U.S. Agency for International Development should: (1) increase emergency funding 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 to reach vulnerable populations, and (2) provide emergency food assistance under the Food for Peace Act.
Calls upon the government of South Sudan to: (1) declare and observe a cessation of hostilities to allow food and essential supplies to reach affected civilians; and (2) allow immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to southern Unity, where the famine is underway.
Condemns all threats and violence against civilian populations and aid workers.
Supports efforts of the U.S. government, working with partners in the international community, 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 allow full humanitarian access.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 187 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






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;
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
    Resolved, 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.
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