SRES 114 — A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.

114 ReportedAgreed into Senate (RS)](ATS)] <DOC> Calendar115th No.CONGRESS 1st Session S.

115 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S.

Boozman, and Mr.

Booker)Booker, submittedand theMr. following resolution;

Merkley) submitted the following resolution;

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 ``atat risk of famine''famine stages in 2017;

Whereas,Whereas according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA),(OCHA), 20,000,000 people are at risk of starvation withinthis theyear next six months in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen;

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.

Whereas,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,Whereas according to USAID, ``An estimated 6.2 million people--more than half of Somalia's total population--currently require urgent humanitarian assistance.'';

Whereas,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,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,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.'';

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That--SECTION <DELETED>1. (1) it is the sense of the Senate that--</DELETED> <DELETED> (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;</DELETED> <DELETED> (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;</DELETED> <DELETED> (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</DELETED>SENSE <DELETED>OF (D)THE theSENATE. 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</DELETED>It <DELETED>is (2) the Senate--</DELETED>sense <DELETED> (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;</DELETED> <DELETED> (B) calls on the PresidentSenate tothat-- notify(1) Congressan withouturgent delay if the Government of South Sudan does not immediately and fullycomprehensive respect international humanitariandiplomatic laweffort sois thatnecessary Congress can work with the President to imposeaddress additionalobstacles costsin onNigeria, theSomalia, government and leaders of South SudanSudan, for their deplorable actions;</DELETED> <DELETED> (C) urges the President to press the Government of Nigeria to take tangible and immediateYemen steps to ensure accountability for security forces that violateare humanpreventing rightshumanitarian and fail to cooperate fully with international aid efforts;</DELETED>from <DELETED>being (D)delivered calls on the President to sendmillions the Secretary of Statepeople orwho otherdesperately highneed levelit; 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</DELETED>(2) <DELETED> (E) urges the PresidentUnited toStates workshould urgentlyencourage withother stakeholdersgovernments to persuadejoin parties to conflict in Yemenproviding tothe permitresources humanitariannecessary groups increased access to Redaddress Sea ports like Hodeida to deliver much-needed assistance to vulnerable communities.</DELETED> That it is the sensehumanitarian ofcrises 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 YemenYemen; 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;

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.Yemen;

Calendarand No.(5) the contributions of charities, non-profit organizations, religious organizations, and businesses of the United States have an important role in addressing humanitarian crises.

115SEC. 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S.

RES.2.

114RULE _______________________________________________________________________OF RESOLUTIONCONSTRUCTION. Expressing the sense of the Senate on humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen.

_______________________________________________________________________Nothing Junein 5,this 2017resolution Reportedshall withbe anconstrued amendmentas anda andeclaration amendmentof war or authorization to theuse preambleforce.