IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 132 

Responding to the earthquakes in Tu ̈rkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 17, 2023 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. 

TENNEY, Ms. WILD, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. MCCORMICK, 

Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. MOYLAN, Ms. DEAN of 

Pennsylvania, Mr. ISSA, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, Ms. 

STEVENS, Mr. ELLZEY, Mr. COHEN, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. KEATING, Mr. 

NORMAN, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. LAWLER, Mr. CICILLINE, 

Mr. WALTZ, Ms. MANNING, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. 

TIMMONS, and Mr. PANETTA) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 

Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Responding to the earthquakes in Tu ̈rkiye and Syria on 

February 6, 2023. 

Whereas, on February 6, 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake 

struck central-southern Tu ̈rkiye, followed by a magnitude 

7.5 earthquake later the same day, followed by over a 

thousand aftershocks in Tu ̈rkiye and northwest Syria; 


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•HRES 132 IH 

Whereas the earthquakes have caused massive death and destruction, killing more than 36,000 people and injuring 

tens of thousands more in Tu ̈rkiye and Syria; 

Whereas the United States Agency for International Development and other agencies mobilized Federal agencies and 

partners to provide life-saving assistance to the people of 

Tu ̈rkiye and Syria; 

Whereas dangerous freezing winter weather conditions negatively impacted rescue efforts and put earthquake survivors at further risk after thousands of buildings collapsed into rubble; 

Whereas the Republic of Tu ̈rkiye is a North Atlantic Treaty 

Organization (NATO) ally of the United States; 

Whereas prior to the devastating earthquakes, millions of 

people in Syria were relying on humanitarian assistance, 

and Tu ̈rkiye was hosting more than 3,500,000 Syrian 

refugees; 

Whereas through 12 years of war in Syria, the Assad regime 

has impeded the delivery of humanitarian assistance to 

civilians, including those in areas now impacted by the 

February 6, 2023, earthquakes; 

Whereas the Russian Federation and People’s Republic of 

China have used their veto power at the United Nations 

Security Council to restrict the number of United Nations-authorized border crossings between Tu ̈rkiye and 

Syria from four to just one—Bab al-Hawa; 

Whereas although areas outside of the Assad regime’s control 

have been the worst affected by the earthquake, Foreign 

Minister Faisal Mekdad stated that any aid to victims 

must go through the Syrian Government in Damascus; 


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•HRES 132 IH 

Whereas Department of State Spokesman Ned Price has 

stated it would be ‘‘ironic, if not even counterproductive, 

for us to reach out to a government that has brutalized 

its people over the course of a dozen years now’’; 

Whereas the Assad regime has shamefully used the earthquake to call for the lifting of United States sanctions, 

falsely claiming that such sanctions impede the aid response; and 

Whereas the human cost of this disaster transcends mere statistics and has resulted in deeply personal tragedies for 

countless families: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) mourns the horrific loss of life in Tu ̈rkiye 

3 and Syria caused by the earthquakes in Tu ̈rkiye on 

4 February 6, 2023; 

5 (2) expresses its deep condolences to the fami6 lies of the many earthquake victims; 

7 (3) applauds the heroic work of humanitarian 

8 aid and rescue workers on the ground to save lives 

9 and provide care for victims, including United States 

10 Agency for International Development Urban Search 

11 and Rescue teams, the Armed Forces of the United 

12 States, including members of such Armed Forces 

13 stationed at the Incirlik Air Force base in Tu ̈rkiye, 

14 and the Syrian Civil Defense, otherwise known as 

15 the White Helmets; 


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•HRES 132 IH 

1 (4) applauds the response to the earthquake 

2 tragedy by the United States Government, other 

3 governments, and nongovernmental organizations; 

4 (5) applauds the civilians in Tu ̈rkiye and Syria 

5 who have selflessly volunteered to assist with re6 sponse to the devastating aftermath; 

7 (6) urges the international community to sup8 port heroic disaster response efforts in Tu ̈rkiye and 

9 Syria, including those by the Syrian Civil Defense, 

10 the White Helmets; 

11 (7) condemns efforts by the Assad regime to 

12 cynically exploit the disaster to evade international 

13 pressure and accountability, including by preventing 

14 the United Nations from providing assistance 

15 through multiple border crossings between Tu ̈rkiye 

16 and Syria; 

17 (8) calls on the Biden administration to con18 tinue to use all diplomatic tools, including through 

19 the United Nations Security Council, to open all 

20 Tu ̈rkiye-Syria border crossings for United Nations 

21 assistance; 

22 (9) underscores the need for international as23 sistance to reach northwest Syria to assist with dis24 aster relief; 


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•HRES 132 IH 

1 (10) calls for an increased oversight mechanism 

2 to ensure that United States-funded assistance is 

3 not diverted for the benefit of the Assad regime; 

4 (11) urges the Biden administration to remain 

5 committed to the protection of the Syrian people in6 cluding by implementing the Caesar Syria Civilian 

7 Protection Act of 2019; and 

8 (12) welcomes the Republic of Tu ̈rkiye’s con9 tinuing support to Syrian refugees in Tu ̈rkiye and in 

10 northwestern Syria. 

Æ 


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