Although not discussed in this report, the use of chemical weapons in Syria on August 21, 2013, triggered an intense debate over possible U.S. military intervention. This debate created temporary momentum focused on the dire humanitarian situation within Syrian where humanitarian organizations remain severely constrained by the conflict, fighting, and restrictions imposed by the Syrian government. The United States remains the largest humanitarian donor. U.S. humanitarian policy is guided by concerns about access and protection within Syria; the large refugee flows out of the country that strain the resources of neighboring countries (and could negatively impact the overall stability of the region); and an already escalating and protracted humanitarian emergency. These issues are addressed in other CRS reports. As the international community deliberates over what action it can or should take on the crisis, a massive humanitarian operation continues in parts of Syria and in neighboring countries. The "Geneva II" talks in Switzerland, which include some members of the Syrian opposition, representatives of the Syrian government, and other government leaders, were launched on January 22, 2014. The first round came to an end on January 31. Many experts and observers hoped that a lasting agreement would have been reached on "humanitarian pauses" to allow access and relief to thousands of civilians blockaded in towns and cities in Syria. A second round of the Geneva II talks took place in Switzerland between February 10-15, but ended with little progress in efforts to end the civil war. The parties reportedly agreed to an agenda for a third round of talks. After nearly two years, and amid continued lack of progress on a peaceful resolution to the conflict, on May 13, 2014, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that he "regretfully accepted" the resignation of Lakhdar Brahimi, the Joint United Nations-League of Arab States Special Representative on the crisis. He left his post effective May 31. Further recognizing the need for increased humanitarian access, on February 22, 2014, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2139 (2014), which demanded that "all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, promptly allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for U.N. humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including across conflict lines and across borders." While humanitarian needs are immense and continue to escalate, access and security in Syria present huge challenges in the humanitarian response, particularly for NGOs. Reportedly, Palestinian refugees in Syria are disproportionally and increasingly vulnerable. As of mid-June 2014, an estimated 2.8 million Syrians have been forced to flee the violence and conflict with 97% seeking refuge in countries in the immediate surrounding region, primarily Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, Egypt, and in other parts of North Africa. The United States and the international community have recognized the contribution of those countries hosting refugees and supported their efforts, while encouraging them to keep their borders open to those fleeing conflict in Syria. U.S. humanitarian priorities in Syria include
providing as much humanitarian assistance as possible through partners and multilateral mechanisms; supporting protection activities for vulnerable populations; helping to develop a strong multilateral response to support countries hosting refugees; encouraging donor pledges and contributions; and building capacity within Syria and among its neighbors for immediate assistance and contingency planning for what has become a protracted crisis. The breadth and scale of the crisis inside Syria, with 9.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, requires using multiple resources and aid delivery options. U.S. Funding and Allocation

Beginning in FY2012, through June 4, 2014, the United States has allocated more than $2 billion for humanitarian activities both inside Syria and in neighboring countries. The U.S. contribution has been allocated in response to U.N. humanitarian appeals, as well as supporting other projects using existing funding from global humanitarian accounts and some reprogrammed funding. The Administration's FY2015 budget request seeks $1.1 billion in humanitarian assistance for Syria and the region. International Response Framework

International humanitarian agencies, including NGOs, and governments continue to work in Syria and in countries in the region to provide and coordinate assistance to the civilian populations. A key challenge facing international organizations and NGOs operating in Syria is access, which remains severely constrained by violence and insecurity and conflict, restrictions imposed by the Syrian government on the operations of humanitarian organizations, and obstruction by all sides to the conflict. The plan addresses the needs of Syrians affected by conflict inside Syria. Willingness and cooperation of neighboring countries . So far, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey have received the vast majority of refugees from Syria. Ongoing capacity by the international community to keep pace with humanitarian developments . Burdensharing . Selected Humanitarian Projects Funded by All Donors in Syria and the Region
Appendix C. Selected Humanitarian Partners Serving the Syria Arab Republic Civil Unrest, CY2014
Appendix D. U.S. and International Humanitarian Country Donors to the Syria Crisis, CY2012-2014
Appendix E. 2013 Pledges Not Converted to Commitments or Contributions as of June 18, 2014
Appendix F. Sources for Further Information
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Syria country page: http://www.usaid.gov/crisis/syria
No Lost Generation: http://www.usaid.gov/crisis/syria/children
U.S. Department of State
Syria country page: http://www.state.gov/p/nea/ci/sy/ 
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM): http://www.state.gov/j/prm/ 
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
The World Factbook on Syria: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sy.html
United Nations —Selected Sources
UN News Center: http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=146&Body=Syria&Body1= 
United Nations Inter-Agency Information Sharing Portal: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/regional.php
Relief Web link: http://reliefweb.int/country/syr
The ongoing conflict in Syria has created one of the most pressing humanitarian crises in the world. More than three years later, as of mid-June 2014, an estimated 9.3 million people inside Syria, nearly half the population, have been affected by the conflict, with nearly 6.5 million displaced. In addition, 2.8 million Syrians are displaced as refugees, with 97% fleeing to countries in the immediate surrounding region, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and other parts of North Africa. The situation is fluid and continues to worsen, while humanitarian needs are immense and increase daily.
While internationally supervised disarmament of chemical weapons in Syria is proceeding, albeit with some difficulty, U.S. and international diplomatic efforts to negotiate a political end to the fighting in Syria opened on January 22, 2014, in Montreux, Switzerland. The "Geneva II" talks included some members of the Syrian opposition, representatives of the Syrian government, and other government leaders. The first round of talks came to an end on January 31 and resumed February 10-15, but ended with little progress in efforts to end the civil war. The parties reportedly agreed to an agenda for a third round of talks. Many experts and observers hoped that a lasting agreement would have been reached on "humanitarian pauses" to allow access and relief to thousands of civilians blockaded in towns and cities in Syria. On February 22, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2139 (2014) to increase humanitarian access and aid delivery in Syria. On May 13, 2014, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that Lakhdar Brahimi, the Joint United Nations-League of Arab States Special Representative on the crisis, would resign his post, which became effective on May 31.
U.S. Assistance and Priorities
The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance and is part of the massive, international humanitarian operation in parts of Syria and in neighboring countries. Beginning in FY2012, through June 4, 2014, the United States has allocated more than $2 billion to meet humanitarian needs using existing funding from global humanitarian accounts and some reprogrammed funding. U.S. humanitarian policy is guided by concerns about humanitarian access and protection within Syria; the large refugee flows out of the country that strain the resources of neighboring countries (and could negatively impact the overall stability of the region); and a protracted and escalating humanitarian emergency. The Administration's FY2015 budget request seeks $1.1 billion in humanitarian assistance for Syria and the region.
International Response
The international humanitarian response is massive and complex and struggles to keep pace with urgent developments that have escalated well beyond anticipated needs and continue to do so. Access within Syria is severely constrained by violence and restrictions imposed by the Syrian government on the operations of humanitarian organizations. In mid-December 2013, the United Nations launched two appeals—taken together its largest appeal in history—requesting $6.5 billion in contributions to meet the ongoing humanitarian needs in Syria and the region.
Ongoing Humanitarian Challenges of the Syria Crisis and U.S. Policy
As U.S. policy makers and the international community deliberate over what, if any, actions they can or should take on the Syria crisis, possible humanitarian policy issues for Congress include
the immediate need for access within Syria by humanitarian organizations, which has been severely constrained by violence and restrictions imposed by the Syrian government; examining U.S. assistance and priorities in an ongoing humanitarian response; balancing the Syria response with domestic priorities and other humanitarian concerns worldwide; ensuring the ongoing willingness and cooperation of Syria's neighbors, which are receiving the vast majority of refugees from Syria, to keep borders open and to host refugees fleeing Syria; finding ways to alleviate the strain on civilians and those responding to the crisis as the situation worsens and becomes more protracted, including the support of initiatives, such as emergency development assistance, for communities within neighboring countries that are hosting refugees; and encouraging the participation of other countries to provide support through humanitarian admission, resettlement, facilitated visa procedures, and protection for those seeking asylum.
The United States has a critical voice regarding humanitarian access in Syria, the pace of humanitarian developments and contingency planning, support to neighboring countries that are hosting refugees, and burdensharing among donors.
This report examines the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria and the U.S. and international response and will be updated as events warrant. For background and information on Syria, see CRS Report RL33487, Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response, by [author name scrubbed] (coordinator), [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed], and CRS Report R43201, Possible U.S. Intervention in Syria: Issues for Congress, coordinated by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]. See also CRS Report R42848, Syria's Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress, coordinated by [author name scrubbed]. This report does not address the humanitarian situation in Iraq as a result of the recent wave of violence that began on June 10, 2014. For more information, see CRS Report RS21968, Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights, by [author name scrubbed].