A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.

Bill: 115-sres-114
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
Introduced: 2017-04-05
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Africa

Conflicts and wars

Congressional oversight

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Europe

Foreign aid and international relief

Human rights

International organizations and cooperation

Military personnel and dependents

Nigeria

Somalia

South Sudan

United Kingdom

War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity

Yemen
Latest action: action_date: 2017-09-26
text: Resolution agreed to in Senate with an amendment and an amended preamble by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR 9/27/2017 S6191)

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-04-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>Expresses the sense of the Senate that:</p> <ul> <li>the United States should lead an international diplomatic effort to address obstacles in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are preventing delivery of humanitarian aid; </li> <li> the President should encourage other governments to join the United States in providing the resources necessary to meet the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs appeal to address the humanitarian crises in those countries; and </li> <li> the President should work with international partners to document violations of international humanitarian law in those countries and bring perpetrators to justice.</li> </ul> <p>Urges the President to:</p> <ul> <li>persuade the government of South Sudan to stop blocking aid; </li> <li> notify Congress if that government does not immediately respect international humanitarian law;</li> <li> press the government of Nigeria to ensure accountability for security forces that violate human rights and fail to cooperate with international aid efforts; </li> <li> send a high level representative to the United Kingdom's Ministerial Conference on Somalia and publicly announce a contribution to the humanitarian assistance efforts; and </li> <li> work with stakeholders to persuade parties to conflict in Yemen to permit humanitarian groups increased access to Red Sea ports to deliver much-needed assistance. </li> </ul> <ul> </ul>

action_date: 2017-06-05
action_desc: Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
text: <p>Calls for the United States to:</p> <ul> <li> lead a comprehensive international diplomatic effort to address obstacles in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered;</li> <li> encourage other governments to join in providing the resources necessary to address the humanitarian crises in those countries; and </li> <li> work with international partners to support efforts to hold accountable those responsible for deliberate restrictions on humanitarian access in those countries.</li> </ul> <p>Calls for parties to the conflicts in those countries to: (1) allow and facilitate passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, and (2) respect and protect humanitarian and medical relief personnel and objects.</p> <ul> </ul>

action_date: 2017-09-26
action_desc: Passed Senate amended
text: <p>Expresses the sense of the Senate that: (1) an urgent and comprehensive international diplomatic effort is necessary to address obstacles in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered; and (2) the contributions of U.S. charities, non-profit organizations, religious organizations, and businesses have an important role in addressing humanitarian crises.</p> <p>Calls for the United States to: (1) encourage other governments to join in providing the resources necessary to address the humanitarian crises in those countries, and (2) work with international partners to support efforts to hold accountable those responsible for deliberate restrictions on humanitarian access in those countries.</p> <p>Calls for parties to the conflicts in those countries to: (1) allow and facilitate passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, and (2) respect and protect humanitarian and medical relief personnel and objects.</p> <ul> </ul>

tv_txt: III 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 114 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 5 (legislative day, April 4), 2017 Mr. Young (for himself and Mr. Cardin ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 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 stages in 2017; Whereas, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 20,000,000 people are at risk of starvation within the next six months in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; Whereas, on March 22, 2017, Mr. Yves Daccord, the Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross, testified 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), More 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), Some 22 million children have been left hungry, sick, displaced and out of school in the four countries. 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, disregard for international humanitarian law, and deliberate restrictions on humanitarian access; Whereas parties to the conflicts have harassed, attacked, and killed humanitarian workers, blocking and hindering humanitarian access and depriving the world’s most hungry people of the food they need; Whereas humanitarian actors, coordinated by UNOCHA, are appealing for $5,600,000,000 in 2017 to address famines in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia, $4,400,000,000 of which is required urgently; and Whereas Mr. Daccord testified on March 22, 2017, Our message is clear: immediate, decisive action is needed to prevent vast numbers of people starving to death. : Now, therefore, be it

That— (1) it is the sense of the Senate that— (A) United States national security interests and the values of the American people demand that the United States lead an urgent and comprehensive international diplomatic effort to address obstacles in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered to millions of people who desperately need it; (B) the President should encourage other governments to join the United States in providing the resources necessary to meet the $5,600,000,000 UNOCHA appeal to address the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; (C) parties to the conflicts in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen must respect fully international humanitarian law by allowing and facilitating rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need and respecting and protecting humanitarian and medical relief personnel and objects; and (D) the President, working with international partners, should work to identify and document violations of international humanitarian law in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen seeking to bring perpetrators to justice where possible; and (2) the Senate— (A) urges the President, in close coordination with international partners, to employ every appropriate strategy to persuade the Government of South Sudan to stop blocking aid for people who desperately need it; (B) calls on the President to notify Congress without delay if the Government of South Sudan does not immediately and fully respect international humanitarian law so that Congress can work with the President to impose additional costs on the government and leaders of South Sudan for their deplorable actions; (C) urges the President to press the Government of Nigeria to take tangible and immediate steps to ensure accountability for security forces that violate human rights and fail to cooperate fully with international aid efforts; (D) calls on the President to send the Secretary of State or other high level representative to attend the upcoming United Kingdom’s Ministerial Conference on Somalia and publicly announce a contribution to the humanitarian assistance efforts which will help leverage other international donors; and (E) urges the President to work urgently with stakeholders to persuade parties to conflict in Yemen to permit humanitarian groups increased access to Red Sea ports like Hodeida to deliver much-needed assistance to vulnerable communities.

tv_txt: III Calendar No. 115 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 114 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 , and Mr. Booker ) 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 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 stages in 2017; Whereas, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), 20,000,000 people are at risk of starvation within the next six months in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; Whereas, on March 22, 2017, Mr. Yves Daccord, the Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross, testified 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), More 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), Some 22 million children have been left hungry, sick, displaced and out of school in the four countries. 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, disregard for international humanitarian law, and deliberate restrictions on humanitarian access; Whereas parties to the conflicts have harassed, attacked, and killed humanitarian workers, blocking and hindering humanitarian access and depriving the world’s most hungry people of the food they need; Whereas humanitarian actors, coordinated by UNOCHA, are appealing for $5,600,000,000 in 2017 to address famines in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia, $4,400,000,000 of which is required urgently; and Whereas Mr. Daccord testified on March 22, 2017, Our message is clear: immediate, decisive action is needed to prevent vast numbers of people starving to death. : Now, therefore, be it 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; 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; 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

That— (1) it is the sense of the Senate that— (A) United States national security interests and the values of the American people demand that the United States lead an urgent and comprehensive international diplomatic effort to address obstacles in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered to millions of people who desperately need it; (B) the President should encourage other governments to join the United States in providing the resources necessary to meet the $5,600,000,000 UNOCHA appeal to address the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; (C) parties to the conflicts in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen must respect fully international humanitarian law by allowing and facilitating rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need and respecting and protecting humanitarian and medical relief personnel and objects; and (D) the President, working with international partners, should work to identify and document violations of international humanitarian law in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen seeking to bring perpetrators to justice where possible; and (2) the Senate— (A) urges the President, in close coordination with international partners, to employ every appropriate strategy to persuade the Government of South Sudan to stop blocking aid for people who desperately need it; (B) calls on the President to notify Congress without delay if the Government of South Sudan does not immediately and fully respect international humanitarian law so that Congress can work with the President to impose additional costs on the government and leaders of South Sudan for their deplorable actions; (C) urges the President to press the Government of Nigeria to take tangible and immediate steps to ensure accountability for security forces that violate human rights and fail to cooperate fully with international aid efforts; (D) calls on the President to send the Secretary of State or other high level representative to attend the upcoming United Kingdom’s Ministerial Conference on Somalia and publicly announce a contribution to the humanitarian assistance efforts which will help leverage other international donors; and (E) urges the President to work urgently with stakeholders to persuade parties to conflict in Yemen to permit humanitarian groups increased access to Red Sea ports like Hodeida to deliver much-needed assistance to vulnerable communities.

That it is the sense of the Senate that— (1) the United States should lead an urgent and comprehensive international diplomatic effort to address obstacles in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered to millions of people who desperately need it; (2) the United States should encourage other governments to join the United States in providing the resources necessary to address the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; (3) parties to the conflicts in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen should allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need and respect and protect humanitarian and medical relief personnel and objects; and (4) the United States, working with international partners, should support efforts to hold accountable those responsible for deliberate restrictions on humanitarian access in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.

June 5, 2017 Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble

tv_txt: III 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 114 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; 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; 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. Sense of the Senate It is the sense of the Senate that— (1) an urgent and comprehensive international diplomatic effort is necessary to address obstacles in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen that are preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered to millions of people who desperately need it; (2) the United States should encourage other governments to join in providing the resources necessary to address the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; (3) parties to the conflicts in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen should allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need and respect and protect humanitarian and medical relief personnel and objects; (4) the United States, working with international partners, should support efforts to hold accountable those responsible for deliberate restrictions on humanitarian access in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen; and (5) the contributions of charities, non-profit organizations, religious organizations, and businesses of the United States have an important role in addressing humanitarian crises. 2. Rule of Construction Nothing in this resolution shall be construed as a declaration of war or authorization to use force.