[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 99 (Thursday, June 9, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 669--CONDEMNING THE USE OF HUNGER AS A WEAPON OF WAR 
  AND RECOGNIZING THE EFFECT OF CONFLICT ON GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY AND 
                                 FAMINE

  Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Young, Mr. Booker, Mr. Thune, Mr. 
Menendez, and Mr. Risch) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 669

       Whereas in 2020, 155,000,000 people experienced crisis 
     levels of food insecurity (Integrated Food Security Phase 
     Classification phase 3 or above), with nearly 100,000,000 
     people living in environments where conflict was the main 
     driver of hunger, and the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened 
     rising global food insecurity;
       Whereas conflict acutely impacts vulnerable populations 
     such as women and children, persons with disabilities, 
     refugees, and internally displaced persons;
       Whereas armed conflict impacts on food security can be 
     direct, such as displacement from land, destruction of 
     livestock grazing areas and fishing grounds, or destruction 
     of food stocks and agricultural assets, or indirect, such as 
     disruptions to food systems, leading to increased food prices 
     or decreased household purchasing power, or decreased access 
     to supplies that are necessary for food preparation, 
     including water and fuel;
       Whereas conflict disrupts the distribution and buying and 
     selling of food within a food system due to a shortage of 
     produce, risk, or perceived risk of travel, the formation of 
     illegal distribution channels and markets, and the breakdown 
     of a government's ability to enforce regulations or perform 
     its judiciary functions;
       Whereas aerial bombing campaigns targeting agricultural 
     heartlands, scorched earth methods of warfare, and the use of 
     landmines and other explosive devices have direct impacts on 
     the ability of vulnerable populations to feed themselves;
       Whereas effective humanitarian response in armed conflict, 
     including in the threat of conflict-induced famine and food 
     insecurity in situations of armed conflict, requires respect 
     for international humanitarian law by all parties to the 
     conflict, and allowing and facilitating the rapid and 
     unimpeded movement of humanitarian relief to all those in 
     need;
       Whereas efforts to restrict humanitarian aid and the 
     operational integrity and impartiality of humanitarian aid 
     works and distribution efforts, including through blockades, 
     security impediments, or irregular bureaucratic requirements 
     is another means by which combatants employ starvation and 
     food deprivation as a weapon of war; and
       Whereas the United States Government has the tools to fight 
     global hunger, protect lifesaving assistance, and promote the 
     prevention of conflict, including through the Global 
     Fragility Act of 2019 (title V of division J of Public Law 
     116-94), the Global Food Security Act of 2016 (Public Law 
     114-195), and the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public 
     Law 115-334), and has the potential to hold accountable those 
     using hunger as a weapon of war through the Global Magnitsky 
     Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of 
     Public Law 114-328): Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the use of hunger as a weapon of war through 
     the--
       (A) starvation of civilians;
       (B) intentional and reckless destruction, removing, 
     looting, or rendering useless objects necessary for food 
     production and distribution such as farmland, markets, mills, 
     food processing and storage areas, foodstuffs, crops, 
     livestock, agricultural assets, waterways, water systems, 
     drinking water installations and supplies, and irrigation 
     works;
       (C) denial of humanitarian access and the deprivation of 
     objects indispensable to people's survival, such as food 
     supplies and nutrition resources; and
       (D) willful interruption of market systems to affected 
     populations in need in conflict environments by preventing 
     travel and manipulating currency exchange; and
       (2) calls on the United States Government to--
       (A) prioritize diplomatic efforts to call out and address 
     instances where hunger and intentional deprivation of food is 
     being utilized as a weapon of war, including efforts to 
     ensure that security operations do not undermine livelihoods 
     of local populations to minimize civilian harm;
       (B) continue efforts to address severe food insecurity 
     through humanitarian response efforts, including in-kind food 
     assistance, vouchers, and other flexible modalities;
       (C) ensure existing interagency strategies, crisis response 
     efforts, and ongoing programs consider, integrate, and adapt 
     to address conflict by utilizing crisis modifiers in United 
     States Agency for International Development programming to 
     respond to rapid shocks and stress such as the willful 
     targeting of food systems; and
       (D) ensure that the use of hunger as a weapon of war is 
     considered within the employment of tools to hold 
     individuals, governments, militias, or entities responsible 
     such as the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act 
     (22 U.S.C. 2656), where appropriate, and taking into 
     consideration the need for humanitarian exemptions and the 
     protection of lifesaving assistance.

                          ____________________