[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 982 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 982

     Condemning the continued violence in Sudan and calling on the 
international community to unequivocally support diplomatic efforts to 
achieve a cessation of hostilities, ensure the protection of civilians 
           and secure unfettered access for humanitarian aid.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 29, 2024

Mr. McCaul (for himself, Mr. Meeks, Mr. James, Ms. Jacobs, Mrs. Kim of 
 California, and Mr. Kildee) submitted the following resolution; which 
            was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Condemning the continued violence in Sudan and calling on the 
international community to unequivocally support diplomatic efforts to 
achieve a cessation of hostilities, ensure the protection of civilians 
           and secure unfettered access for humanitarian aid.

Whereas, on April 15, 2023, hostilities broke out in Sudan between the Rapid 
        Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force formed from the Janjaweed 
        militia that committed acts of genocide in Darfur since 2003, and the 
        Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which like the RSF has a history of 
        committing atrocities both in Sudan's civil wars and against pro-
        democracy protestors from 2019-2022;
Whereas, according to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on April 
        17, 2023, just days following the outbreak of fighting, the humanitarian 
        situation in Sudan was ``already precarious and is now catastrophic'';
Whereas, on April 23, 2023, the United States temporarily suspended operations 
        at its embassy in Khartoum and evacuated embassy personnel from the 
        country;
Whereas the war has created the world's largest displacement crisis, with over 7 
        million people, including 3 million children, displaced since the war 
        began, and over half of the Sudanese population needs humanitarian 
        assistance;
Whereas widespread rape and sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war, 
        and over 4.2 million women and girls in Sudan are at risk for sexual 
        violence according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of 
        Humanitarian Affairs;
Whereas the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Early Warning Project 
        identified Sudan as one of the top ten countries at risk for new mass 
        killings in its 2022-2023 report, and the Museum warned in June 2023 
        about the dire risk of genocide in Darfur;
Whereas Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued an atrocities determination for 
        Sudan on December 6, 2023, finding that the SAF and RSF have committed 
        war crimes in Sudan, and that the RSF and allied militias have committed 
        crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing;
Whereas the United States and Saudi Arabia have engaged in multiple rounds of 
        ``emergency diplomacy'' in Jeddah since May, during which the parties to 
        the conflict have repeatedly made confidence-building, ceasefire and 
        humanitarian commitments that parties immediately violated;
Whereas the leadership in the SAF and RSF do not represent the people of Sudan, 
        and there is no military solution to the political situation in Sudan;
Whereas credible reports indicate that the United Arab Emirates is violating the 
        existing UN arms embargo for Darfur;

    Now, therefore, be it:

    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the hostilities in Sudan since April 15, 2023, 
        the attacks on civilians, including systemic use of rape as a 
        weapon of war, and the widespread destruction of civilian 
        residences, businesses, and infrastructure;
            (2) stands with the people of Sudan in their calls for 
        peace and their democratic aspirations;
            (3) calls for the RSF and SAF to permanently cease 
        hostilities, stop attacks on civilians and allow for their safe 
        passage, and allow for the unfettered delivery of humanitarian 
        assistance;
            (4) calls on the President to name an experienced, high 
        level U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Sudan, that reports 
        directly to the President or the Secretary of State, to 
        coordinate U.S. policy and diplomatic efforts and to work with 
        international partners to address the complex crisis in Sudan, 
        including by establishing a more inclusive alternative to the 
        Jeddah talks;
            (5) calls on the Secretary of State to--
                    (A) continue to regularly review and update the 
                atrocities determination for Sudan, to include whether 
                atrocities committed constitute genocide;
                    (B) deepen coordination with the Department of the 
                Treasury to develop a comprehensive sanctions strategy 
                for Sudan, including on the leadership in the RSF and 
                SAF, and those actors involved in the supply of arms 
                and materiel to belligerents;
                    (C) continue to coordinate with the United States 
                Permanent Representative to the United Nations to 
                ensure the United Nations Security Council reports 
                violations of the Darfur arms embargo, and works to 
                prioritize efforts to protect civilians, and to pursue 
                efforts to establish a credible mechanism for 
                accountability for atrocities, including any that may 
                constitute genocide, war crimes, or crimes against 
                humanity; and
                    (D) support enhanced end use monitoring of weapons 
                sold by the United States to determine if U.S. defense 
                articles, services, or any type of security sector 
                assistance have been diverted to the SAF and RSF;
            (6) calls on the Secretary of State to work with regional 
        actors and international partners, including the United Arab 
        Emirates and Egypt, to--
                    (A) support regional and international efforts to 
                cease hostilities and explore options to protect 
                civilians from mass atrocities;
                    (B) empower Sudanese civilians to establish a path 
                toward a peaceful and inclusive democratic transition;
                    (C) support the establishment of credible 
                mechanisms for accountability;
                    (D) impose targeted sanctions on SAF and RSF 
                members who are responsible for violations of 
                international humanitarian law, corruption, and 
                undermining Sudan's transition to democracy, as well as 
                actors who supply, or facilitate the supply, of arms 
                and materiel to either party; and
                    (E) suspend Sudan's participation in all regional 
                and multilateral organizations until a civilian-led 
                government is established.
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