July 21, 2022

Young Joins Bipartisan Resolution Condemning Starvation as a Weapon of War Passes the Senate

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and James Risch (R-Idaho)?announced that their bipartisan Senate resolution condemning the use of starvation and hunger as weapons of war has passed the Senate unanimously.

In May, the senators introduced their resolution not only condemning the use of hunger as a weapon of war, but also recognizing the effect of conflict on global food security and famine, which was then swiftly voted out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee less than a month later.

“It is time for the United States to hold those who use food as a weapon of war accountable for their horrific action,” said Senator Young. “From Yemen to Ukraine, the world’s most vulnerable are suffering in unspeakable ways. Today’s Senate passage of our resolution sends a clear message that the United States will use all of the tools and authorities at our disposal to end these abuses.”

“From Ukraine to Syria to Ethiopia, we have and continue to watch with horror as bad actors destroy agriculture, deny humanitarian access, and disrupt markets for crucial commodities in a twisted effort to achieve their geopolitical aims through starvation,” said Senator Merkley. “Today’s passage of our resolution by the full Senate reaffirms our united stand that civilians everywhere must be protected during war and that hunger should never be used as a weapon to turn civilians into pawns.”

Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has further highlighted how brutal autocrats weaponize hunger. By disrupting Ukraine’s planting season and substantial food exports and by reportedly stealing vast quantities of grain from Ukraine, Russia has put millions around the globe at risk of famine.?

This resolution is cosponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Michael Bennett (D-Colo.).

This resolution is endorsed by the following organizations:?1,000 Days, Action Against Hunger, Alliance for Peacebuilding, Bread for the World, Caux Scholars Program, Center for Policy Analysis of Horn of Africa, Charity & Security Network , Concern Worldwide US, EIHR: The Educators’ Institute for Human Rights, Food for the Hungry US, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Ghais Mediation & Facilitation, LLC, Islamic Relief USA, Medical Teams International, Mercy Corps, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Norwegian Refugee Council USA, Oxfam America,PartnersGlobal, Refugees International, Save the Children, The HALO Trust (USA), The Hunger Project, UNICEF USA, World Food Program USA, World Vision, and Young Adult Empowerment Initiatives.

Full text of the resolution can be found here.

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