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

<DOC>
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 ``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;
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 continue 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 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.