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[Page S6191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
S. RES. 114--PRINT CORRECTION
On Tuesday, September 26, 2017, the Senate adopted S. Res. 114, as
amended, with its preamble, as amended. The corrected text is as
follows:
S. Res. 114
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. Yves Daccord, the Director-
General of the International Committee of the Red Cross,
testified before Congress 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), ``[m]ore 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), ``[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.'';
Whereas the humanitarian crises in each of these regions
are, to varying degrees, man-made and preventable--
exacerbated by armed conflict and deliberate restrictions on
humanitarian access;
Whereas parties to the conflicts, including even some
government forces, have harassed, attacked, and killed
humanitarian workers, blocked and hindered humanitarian
access, and continue to deprive the world's most hungry
people of the food they need;
Whereas humanitarian actors, coordinated by OCHA, have
appealed for $5,600,000,000 in 2017 to address famines in
Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Somalia; and
Whereas Mr. Daccord testified before Congress on March 22,
2017, ``Our main message is clear: immediate, decisive action
is needed to prevent vast numbers of people starving to
death.'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved,
SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE SENATE.
It is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) an urgent and comprehensive international diplomatic
effort is necessary 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;
(2) the United States should encourage other governments to
join in providing the resources necessary to address the
humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and
Yemen;
(3) parties to the conflicts in Nigeria, Somalia, South
Sudan, and Yemen should allow and facilitate rapid and
unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in
need and respect and protect humanitarian and medical relief
personnel and objects;
(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; and
(5) the contributions of charities, non-profit
organizations, religious organizations, and businesses of the
United States have an important role in addressing
humanitarian crises.
SEC. 2. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this resolution shall be construed as a
declaration of war or authorization to use force.
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