[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 922 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 922

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                      December 1, 2022.
Whereas, in 2021, 193,000,000 people experienced crisis levels of food 
        insecurity, with nearly 139,000,000 people living in environments where 
        conflict was the main driver of this crisis, 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's 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, including water and fuel, 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, 
        provide and 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 in conflict through the Global Magnitsky Human 
        Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114-
        328) and other means: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns--
                    (A) the use of starvation of civilians as a weapon of 
                warfare;
                    (B) the intentional and reckless destruction, removing, 
                looting, blocking, or rendering useless objects necessary for 
                food production and distribution such as farmland, markets, 
                mills, food processing and storage areas, such as ports and hubs 
                containing grain terminals, foodstuffs, crops, livestock, 
                agricultural assets, waterways, water systems, drinking water 
                installations and supplies, and irrigation works;
                    (C) the denial of humanitarian access and the deprivation of 
                objects indispensable to people's survival, such as food 
                supplies and nutrition resources; and
                    (D) the willful interruption of market systems to affected 
                populations in need in conflict environments by preventing 
                travel and manipulating currency exchange;
            (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 and development response efforts, including 
                in-kind food assistance, vouchers, and other flexible 
                modalities, and long-term programming focused on agriculture 
                support and resilient livelihoods;
                    (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 in conflict 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.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.