IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 573 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President 

has failed to adequately develop and execute a strategy capable of defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and a significant course correction is necessary at this time to ensure the protection of the people 

of the United States and United States allies. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 18, 2015 

Mr. RATCLIFFE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the President has failed to adequately develop and execute a strategy capable of defeating the Islamic State 

of Iraq and Syria and a significant course correction 

is necessary at this time to ensure the protection of 

the people of the United States and United States allies. 

Whereas the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) continues 

to plan and promote attacks against the United States 

homeland; 

Whereas approximately 30,000 people from more than 100 

countries have traveled to Syria and Iraq in order to join 

ISIS and other groups; 


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•HRES 573 IH 

Whereas roughly 4,500 individuals from Western countries 

and more than 250 Americans have traveled or attempted 

to travel to Syria and Iraq; 

Whereas there have been more than twice as many ISIS-inspired terror plots against the West in 2015 than in 

2014; 

Whereas the United States faces the threat of United States 

citizens being radicalized abroad and returning to the 

United States to carry out a terrorist attack; 

Whereas ISIS has launched waves of attacks throughout the 

Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia; 

Whereas ISIS has further expanded its ability to inspire and 

direct terrorist attacks against targets in North America, 

Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region; 

Whereas an ISIS-inspired terrorist stabbed two counterterrorism officers near Melbourne, Australia, on September 

23, 2014; 

Whereas a Canadian citizen inspired by ISIS rammed a car 

into two soldiers near Montreal, Canada, on October 20, 

2014; 

Whereas ISIS took responsibility for inspiring a United 

States citizen to attempt to attack four police officers 

with a hatchet in New York City on October 23, 2014; 

Whereas an Australian citizen, claiming to be acting on behalf of ISIS, took 17 hostages in Sydney, Australia, on 

December 15, 2014; 

Whereas the three assailants in the attack on the Charlie 

Hebdo newspaper and Hypercacher Jewish Market in 

Paris, France, on January 7 to 9, 2015, declared allegiance to ISIS and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula; 


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•HRES 573 IH 

Whereas a Danish citizen, allegedly inspired by ISIS, killed 

two civilians and injured five police officers on February 

15, 2015; 

Whereas radicalized individuals inspired by ISIS attempted to 

attack a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Garland, 

Texas, on May 3, 2015; 

Whereas ISIS-inspired assailants killed more than 130 people 

and wounded 369 more in Paris, France, on November 

14 and 15, 2015; and 

Whereas the United States and its allies will continue to be 

threatened by terrorist attacks until ISIS and its affiliates are completely destroyed: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives collec2 tively believes the President has failed to adequately de3 velop and execute a strategy capable of defeating the Is4 lamic State of Iraq and Syria and a significant course cor5 rection is necessary at this time to ensure the protection 

6 of the people of the United States and United States allies. 

Æ 


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