[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 823 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 823

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                      October 21, 2009.
Whereas the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) was established in 1962 with 
        the goal of providing every man, woman, and child with access at all 
        times to the food needed for an active and healthy life;
Whereas the WFP seeks to save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies, 
        prepare for emergencies, restore and rebuild lives after emergencies, 
        reduce chronic hunger and under-nutrition everywhere, and strengthen the 
        capacity of countries to reduce hunger;
Whereas WFP operations in 2008 reached just over 102,000,000 hungry and poor 
        people in 78 countries with 3,900,000 tons of food;
Whereas 84.6 percent of the population of Pakistan earns less than $2 per day, 
        which is an indication of poor human development, especially among women 
        and children;
Whereas since 1968, the WFP has invested more than $1,500,000,000 in assistance 
        to the most food-insecure people in Pakistan, including those in remote 
        areas and those affected by conflict;
Whereas WFP operations in Pakistan include school feeding, mother and child 
        nutrition, and socio-economic development programs that improve school 
        enrollment rates for girls, access to health care services, and economic 
        opportunities for rural women;
Whereas the WFP is providing vital food assistance to as many as 10,000,000 
        people across Pakistan, including emergency relief to as many as 
        2,000,000 Pakistani civilians who were displaced by conflict in the Swat 
        Valley region earlier this year;
Whereas, on October 5, 2009, a suicide bomber attacked the WFP office in 
        Islamabad, Pakistan, killing five employees, Botan Ahmed Ali Al-Hayawi, 
        Farzana Barkat, Abid Rehman, Gulrukh Tahir, and Mohamed Wahab;
Whereas the Executive Director of the WFP, Josette Sheeran, called the attack 
        ``a tragedy--not just for WFP--but for the whole humanitarian community 
        and for the hungry''; and
Whereas support for food aid and other forms of humanitarian assistance in 
        Pakistan is in the moral and national security interests of the United 
        States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its deep condolences to the families, friends, and 
        colleagues of those killed and injured in the attack on the United 
        Nations World Food Program (WFP) office in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 
        October 5, 2009;
            (2) recognizes the critical role the WFP plays in helping alleviate 
        poverty, which can be exploited by extremists to create instability, in 
        Pakistan and the greater South Asian region;
            (3) reaffirms its support for the WFP's mission to bring emergency 
        food aid to the most vulnerable people of Pakistan and around the world; 
        and
            (4) commends the approximately 10,000 people of the WFP directly 
        serving the hungry and poor across the world for their invaluable 
        contribution to bringing relief to those most in need.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.