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H.Res. 421 · 115th Congress

Urging the Administration to develop more effective and timely responses to famine in Africa, especially…

Full title

Urging the Administration to develop more effective and timely responses to famine in Africa, especially efforts to end the conflicts in South Sudan, Nigeria, and other countries that cause or exacerbate famine.

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 115th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

CSR SmithSponsor
5 cosponsors · 4 D, 1 R

1 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Jun 28, 2017

Calls for the U.S. government to:

  • use all available leverage to achieve lasting, comprehensive cease-fires in cases of conflict in Africa;
  • work with governments to facilitate disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of combatants;
  • use the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to sanction individuals or entities responsible for initiating or prolonging conflict, endangering humanitarian aid workers, or preventing delivery of humanitarian aid;
  • apply all available weather and crop information to more accurately predict incipient drought and to determine the likelihood of famine in conflict areas;
  • collaborate with other donor nations to accelerate the provision of food, clean water, medicine, and shelter to those in need;
  • expand the prepositioning of aid commodities in safe zones close to the famine region;
  • provide assistance to farmers, herders, and fishermen; and
  • use cash transfers to more quickly provide food aid where local markets exist and to support the functioning of local markets.

Urges governments in affected African countries to:

  • establish effective cease-fires and use force thereafter only when government forces or facilities or civilians are under attack;
  • identify and take actions against individuals and entities that actively threaten peace and safety;
  • work with civil society to help end conflict at the grassroots level and effect reconciliation;
  • take specifed actions to promote the delivery of food, clean water, medicine, and shelter;
  • protect humanitarian aid workers; and
  • safeguard agricultural areas and farm personnel.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Urging the Administration to develop more effective and timely responses to famine in Africa, especially efforts to end the conflicts in South Sudan, Nigeria, and other countries that cause or exacerbate famine.

Latest action (Jul 19, 2017): Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1015-1016)

Policy area: International Affairs · Origin: House · Introduced: Jun 28, 2017

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.