IIB 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4681 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 25, 2018 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

AN ACT 

To limit assistance for areas of Syria controlled by the Government of Syria or associated forces, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
2 

HR 4681 RFS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘No Assistance for 

3 Assad Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress makes the following findings: 

6 (1) Seven years into the conflict in Syria, over 

7 11 million Syrians have been displaced from their 

8 homes and more than 400,000 have been killed. 

9 (2) Since the conflict in Syria began, the 

10 United States has provided more than $7.6 billion to 

11 meet humanitarian needs of the Syrian people, mak12 ing the United States the world’s single largest 

13 donor to the Syrian humanitarian response. 

14 (3) It is estimated that the reconstruction of 

15 Syria could cost between $200 and $350 billion. 

16 (4) According to the 2016 Transparency Inter17 national Corruption Index, Syria is among the most 

18 corrupt countries in the world. 

19 (5) In October 2015, a visiting Russian delega20 tion to Syria announced that Russian firms would 

21 lead in the effort to rebuild Syria, and Syrian Presi22 dent Bashar al-Assad reportedly said, ‘‘Syria is 

23 ready to provide Russian companies with all the con24 tracts worth hundreds of billions of dollars.’’. 

25 (6) In August 2017, the Government of the 

26 People’s Republic of China hosted a trade fair in 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
3 

HR 4681 RFS

1 Syria, and a Chinese-Arab business group an2 nounced a $2 billion commitment from the Chinese 

3 government to fund the construction of industrial 

4 parks in Syria. 

5 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

6 It is the policy of the United States that United 

7 States foreign assistance made available for early recov8 ery, reconstruction, or stabilization in Syria should be 

9 used only in a democratic Syria or in areas of Syria not 

10 controlled by a government led by Bashar al-Assad or as11 sociated forces. 

12 SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE FOR AREAS OF SYRIA 

13 CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF 

14 SYRIA OR ASSOCIATED FORCES. 

15 (a) LIMITATION.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in sub17 section (c), for each of the fiscal years 2019 through 

18 2023, amounts authorized to be appropriated or oth19 erwise made available for assistance described in 

20 paragraph (2) may not be provided, directly or indi21 rectly, for any area of Syria controlled by the Gov22 ernment of Syria or associated forces, as determined 

23 by the Secretary of State, unless a certification de24 scribed in subsection (b) is in effect. 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
4 

HR 4681 RFS

1 (2) ASSISTANCE DESCRIBED.—Assistance re2 ferred to in paragraph (1) is the following: 

3 (A) Assistance to carry out stabilization 

4 activities for the relevant area. 

5 (B) Assistance to carry out reconstruction 

6 activities for the relevant area. 

7 (b) CERTIFICATION.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—A certification described in 

9 this subsection is a certification submitted by the 

10 President to the appropriate congressional commit11 tees that contains a determination that the Govern12 ment of Syria— 

13 (A) has ceased attacks against civilians 

14 and civilian infrastructure as such, including at15 tacks against medical facilities and personnel, 

16 and the indiscriminate use of weapons, includ17 ing through shelling and aerial bombardment, 

18 as demanded in United Nations Security Coun19 cil Resolution 2254 (2015); 

20 (B) is taking verifiable steps to release all 

21 political prisoners and is providing full access to 

22 Syrian prisons for investigations by appropriate 

23 international human rights organizations; 

24 (C) is taking verifiable steps to remove 

25 from government positions senior officials of the 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
5 

HR 4681 RFS

1 Government of Syria who are complicit in the 

2 planning or commission of war crimes, crimes 

3 against humanity, or human rights abuses, as 

4 well as any government official subject to sanc5 tions under any provision of law; 

6 (D) is organizing free and fair elections for 

7 a new government to be held in a timely man8 ner and under the supervision of United Na9 tions observers, with all Syrians, including 

10 members of the diaspora, eligible to participate, 

11 as supported in United Nations Security Coun12 cil Resolution 2254 (2015); 

13 (E) is making tangible progress toward es14 tablishing an independent judiciary; 

15 (F) is demonstrating respect for and com16 pliance with internationally recognized human 

17 rights and basic freedoms as specified in the 

18 Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 

19 (G) is taking steps to verifiably fulfill its 

20 commitments under the Convention on the Pro21 hibition of the Development, Production, Stock22 piling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on 

23 their Destruction and the Treaty on the Non24 Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, is making 

25 tangible progress toward becoming a signatory 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
6 

HR 4681 RFS

1 to the Convention on the Prohibition of the De2 velopment, Production and Stockpiling of Bac3 teriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and 

4 on their Destruction, and adhering to the Mis5 sile Technology Control Regime and other con6 trol lists, as necessary; 

7 (H) has halted the development and de8 ployment of ballistic and cruise missiles; 

9 (I) is taking verifiable steps to remove 

10 from positions of authority within the military, 

11 intelligence, and security services those individ12 uals who were in a position of authority or re13 sponsibility during the conflict, or who are in a 

14 position of authority or responsibility during a 

15 transition, who are determined to be responsible 

16 for or complicit in the torture, extrajudicial kill17 ing, or execution of civilians, to include those 

18 who were involved the planning or execution of 

19 plans to use chemical weapons; 

20 (J) is making verifiable progress in reform21 ing the Syrian military and security services so 

22 as to minimize the Government of Syria’s reli23 ance on Iran and Iranian proxy forces to act on 

24 behalf or in support of Syria; and 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
7 

HR 4681 RFS

1 (K) is in the process of organizing the safe 

2 and voluntary return of Syrian refugees and in3 ternally displaced persons to their homes so 

4 that Syrians may return without fear of ret5 ribution by the Government of Syria or associ6 ated forces. 

7 (2) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—A certification shall 

8 be in effect under this subsection for a period of 90 

9 days beginning on the date on which the President 

10 submits the certification to the appropriate congres11 sional committees. 

12 (3) RENEWAL OR REPORT.—Not later than 90 

13 days after the date on which the President submits 

14 to the appropriate congressional committees a cer15 tification under this subsection the President shall 

16 submit to the appropriate congressional committees 

17 either— 

18 (A) a new certification under this sub19 section indicating that the conditions described 

20 in paragraph (1) are continuing to be met; or 

21 (B) a report that— 

22 (i) describes why the President is un23 able to make a new certification under this 

24 subsection; and 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
8 

HR 4681 RFS

1 (ii) contains a certification that no 

2 funds will be obligated or expended to pro3 vide assistance described in subsection (a) 

4 in contravention of subsection (a). 

5 (c) EXCEPTION.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—The limitation on assistance 

7 under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect 

8 to— 

9 (A) assistance for projects to be adminis10 tered by local organizations that reflect the 

11 aims, needs, and priorities of local communities 

12 in Syria; 

13 (B) assistance for projects to meet basic 

14 human needs in Syria, including— 

15 (i) drought relief; 

16 (ii) assistance to refugees, internally 

17 displaced persons, and conflict victims; 

18 (iii) the distribution of food and medi19 cine; and 

20 (iv) the provision of health services; 

21 and 

22 (C) assistance to carry out the activities 

23 described in subsection (b)(1)(G). 

24 (2) REPORT AND DETERMINATION.—The Presi25 dent shall submit to the appropriate congressional 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
9 

HR 4681 RFS

1 committees a report and determination for each of 

2 the fiscal years 2019 through 2023 on each project 

3 with respect to which this subsection applies during 

4 the preceding fiscal year, including— 

5 (A) a description of the project; 

6 (B) a description of how United States 

7 funds with respect to the project were used; 

8 (C) the geographic location or locations of 

9 the project; and 

10 (D) a determination with respect to wheth11 er the project benefited an official of the Assad 

12 regime. 

13 (3) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 

14 Congress that, to the greatest extent practicable, the 

15 United States should not fund projects described in 

16 this subsection with respect to which the Govern17 ment of Syria, any official of the Government of 

18 Syria, and any immediate family member of an offi19 cial of the Government of Syria have a financial or 

20 material interest or are affiliated with the imple21 menting partner of the project. 

22 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

23 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT24 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com25 mittees’’ means— 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
10 

HR 4681 RFS

1 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

2 the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

3 of Representatives; and 

4 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

5 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

6 Senate. 

7 (2) ASSOCIATED FORCES.—The term ‘‘associ8 ated forces’’ includes forces of the Government of 

9 the Russian Federation, the Government of the Is10 lamic Republic of Iran, Iranian-backed proxy mili11 tias, and Hezbollah. 

12 (3) DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.—The term ‘‘di13 rectly or indirectly’’ includes assistance to multilat14 eral institutions and international governmental or15 ganizations, such as the United Nations and related 

16 agencies, the International Monetary Fund, and the 

17 World Bank. 

18 SEC. 5. REPORT ON DELIVERY OF UNITED STATES HUMANI19 TARIAN ASSISTANCE TO SYRIA. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

21 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 

22 and the Administrator of the United States Agency for 

23 International Development shall submit to the appropriate 

24 congressional committees a report on delivery of United 

25 States humanitarian assistance to Syria. 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
11 

HR 4681 RFS

1 (b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report re2 quired by subsection (a) shall include the following: 

3 (1) A description of the challenges of access to 

4 areas of Syria controlled by the Government of Syria 

5 or associated forces for purposes of providing United 

6 States humanitarian assistance, including assistance 

7 funded through multilateral institutions and inter8 national governmental organizations. 

9 (2) A description of where such United States 

10 humanitarian assistance has been able to be deliv11 ered in such areas. 

12 (3) A description of where such United States 

13 humanitarian assistance has been denied access in 

14 such areas. 

15 (4) A description of how the United States Gov16 ernment is working to improve access to such areas. 

17 (5) A description of the roles and responsibil18 ities of United States allies and partners and other 

19 countries in the region in ensuring access to such 

20 areas. 

21 (6) A description of how such United States hu22 manitarian assistance and implementing partners of 

23 such assistance are monitored and evaluated. 

24 (7) A description of the major challenges that 

25 the United States faces in monitoring such United 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
12 

HR 4681 RFS

1 States humanitarian assistance and how the United 

2 States is working to overcome such challenges. 

3 (8) A description of the strategy of the United 

4 States to deliver humanitarian assistance to areas of 

5 Syria controlled by the Government of Syria or asso6 ciated forces and in which the Government of Syria 

7 or associated forces is impeding access to such 

8 areas. 

9 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘‘appro10 priate congressional committees’’ and ‘‘associated forces’’ 

11 have the meanings given such terms in section 4(f). 

Passed the House of Representatives April 24, 2018. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS