S.Res. 224 & H.Res. 473, Calling for the urgent delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to address the needs of civilians in Gaza

S.Res.224 was introduced on 13 May 2025 by Senator Peter Welch (D-VT). It is currently pending before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and has 45 co-sponsors on a party-line basis.

H.Res.473 was introduced on 4 June 2025 by Representatives Jayapal (D-WA), Keating (D-MA), Raskin (D-MD), Foushee (D-NC) and Balint (D-VT). It is currently pending before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has 106 cosponsors on a partyline basis.

Related legislation: None

Bill Summary: S.Res.224 and H.Res.473 are non-binding resolutions expressing concern on the continuing blockade of Gaza that is causing the starvation of innocent people, and calling on the President to “bring about the release of the hostages, an immediate cessation of the blockade on food and emergency aid for Palestinian civilians, and a durable end to the conflict in Gaza.”

Context: Since March 2nd of this year Israel has imposed a complete blockade on Gaza, preventing the entry of food, medicine, water, and other urgent humanitarian supplies. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assesses that as a result approximately a quarter of a million people are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity, while half a million are facing starvation. The use of starvation as a tool of warfare has long been banned under international law, as is collective punishment.

The Resolutions are drafted to exclusively focus on the blockade and its direct humanitarian impact, and this narrow scoping has made it accessible to the broadest possible range of co-sponsors; in the Senate this currently includes every Democrat with the sole exception of John Fetterman (D-PA).

American Values Analysis: Freedom from Want was one of the four freedoms famously espoused by President Franklin Roosevelt, and the forced and intentional starvation of innocent people flies in the face of the most basic of values espoused by this country which has long led the international community in condemning such ravages and in providing humanitarian support around the world. 

American Interest Analysis: Any move that works to disassociate the United States from Israel’s blockade and forced starvation of the Palestinian people in Gaza is in America’s national interest. Broad Senate support for this Resolution may assist in encouraging Israel to end the blockade, whose cessation would also remove a global driver of anger against the United States for its complicity in Israel’s inhumane approach to Gaza.

A New Policy’s Recommendation: SUPPORT

A New Policy supports S.Res.224 and H.Res.473 because they constitutes a clear and focused statement of American values: The United States Congress does not support the starvation of innocents.

For more information, please contact: Josh Paul, info@anewpolicy.org, (202) 770-0055