IIB 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 31 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 23 (legislative day, JANUARY 22), 2019 

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

AN ACT 

To require certain additional actions in connection with the 

national emergency with respect to Syria, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Caesar Syria Civilian 

3 Protection Act of 2019’’. 

4 TITLE I—ADDITIONAL ACTIONS 

5 IN CONNECTION WITH THE 

6 NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH 

7 RESPECT TO SYRIA 

8 SEC. 101. MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO CENTRAL BANK OF 

9 SYRIA. 

10 (a) DETERMINATION REGARDING CENTRAL BANK OF

11 SYRIA.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the en12 actment of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall 

13 determine, under section 5318A of title 31, United States 

14 Code, whether reasonable grounds exist for concluding 

15 that the Central Bank of Syria is a financial institution 

16 of primary money laundering concern. 

17 (b) ENHANCED DUE DILIGENCE AND REPORTING

18 REQUIREMENTS.—If the Secretary of the Treasury deter19 mines under subsection (a) that reasonable grounds exist 

20 for concluding that the Central Bank of Syria is a finan21 cial institution of primary money laundering concern, the 

22 Secretary, in consultation with the Federal functional reg23 ulators (as defined in section 509 of the Gramm-Leach24 Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6809)), shall impose one or more 

25 of the special measures described in section 5318A(b) of 


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1 title 31, United States Code, with respect to the Central 

2 Bank of Syria. 

3 (c) REPORT REQUIRED.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

5 making a determination under subsection (a) as to 

6 whether or not the Central Bank of Syria is a finan7 cial institution of primary money laundering con8 cern, the Secretary of the Treasury shall submit to 

9 the appropriate congressional committees a report 

10 that includes the reasons for the determination. 

11 (2) FORM.—A report required by paragraph (1) 

12 shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in13 clude a classified annex. 

14 (3) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT15 TEES DEFINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘ap16 propriate congressional committees’’ means— 

17 (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 

18 Committee on Financial Services, and the Com19 mittee on Appropriations of the House of Rep20 resentatives; and 

21 (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 

22 the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

23 Urban Affairs, and the Committee on Appro24 priations of the Senate. 


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1 SEC. 102. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN PER2 SONS THAT ENGAGE IN CERTAIN TRANS3 ACTIONS. 

4 (a) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—On and after the date that 

6 is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 

7 Act, the President shall impose the sanctions de8 scribed in subsection (b) with respect to a foreign 

9 person if the President determines that the foreign 

10 person, on or after such date of enactment, know11 ingly engages in an activity described in paragraph 

12 (2). 

13 (2) ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED.—A foreign person 

14 engages in an activity described in this paragraph if 

15 the foreign person— 

16 (A) knowingly provides significant finan17 cial, material, or technological support to, or 

18 knowingly engages in a significant transaction 

19 with— 

20 (i) the Government of Syria (including 

21 any entity owned or controlled by the Gov22 ernment of Syria) or a senior political fig23 ure of the Government of Syria; 

24 (ii) a foreign person that is a military 

25 contractor, mercenary, or a paramilitary 

26 force knowingly operating in a military caVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:37 Jan 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H31.RFS H31

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1 pacity inside Syria for or on behalf of the 

2 Government of Syria, the Government of 

3 the Russian Federation, or the Govern4 ment of Iran; or 

5 (iii) a foreign person subject to sanc6 tions pursuant to the International Emer7 gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 

8 1701 et seq.) with respect to Syria or any 

9 other provision of law that imposes sanc10 tions with respect to Syria; 

11 (B) knowingly sells or provides significant 

12 goods, services, technology, information, or 

13 other support that significantly facilitates the 

14 maintenance or expansion of the Government of 

15 Syria’s domestic production of natural gas, pe16 troleum, or petroleum products; 

17 (C) knowingly sells or provides aircraft or 

18 spare aircraft parts that are used for military 

19 purposes in Syria for or on behalf of the Gov20 ernment of Syria to any foreign person oper21 ating in an area directly or indirectly controlled 

22 by the Government of Syria or foreign forces 

23 associated with the Government of Syria; 

24 (D) knowingly provides significant goods 

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1 craft that are used for military purposes in 

2 Syria for or on behalf of the Government of 

3 Syria to any foreign person operating in an 

4 area described in subparagraph (C); or 

5 (E) knowingly, directly or indirectly, pro6 vides significant construction or engineering 

7 services to the Government of Syria. 

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

9 Congress that, in implementing this section, the 

10 President should consider financial support under 

11 paragraph (2)(A) to include the provision of loans, 

12 credits, or export credits. 

13 (b) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.— 

14 (1) IN GENERAL.—The sanctions to be imposed 

15 with respect to a foreign person subject to sub16 section (a) are the following: 

17 (A) BLOCKING OF PROPERTY.—The Presi18 dent shall exercise all of the powers granted to 

19 the President under the International Emer20 gency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et 

21 seq.) to the extent necessary to block and pro22 hibit all transactions in property and interests 

23 in property of the foreign person if such prop24 erty and interests in property are in the United 

25 States, come within the United States, or are or 


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1 come within the possession or control of a 

2 United States person. 

3 (B) ALIENS INELIGIBLE FOR VISAS, AD4 MISSION, OR PAROLE.— 

5 (i) VISAS, ADMISSION, OR PAROLE.— 

6 An alien who the Secretary of State or the 

7 Secretary of Homeland Security (or a des8 ignee of one of such Secretaries) knows, or 

9 has reason to believe, has knowingly en10 gaged in any activity described in sub11 section (a)(2) is— 

12 (I) inadmissible to the United 

13 States; 

14 (II) ineligible to receive a visa or 

15 other documentation to enter the 

16 United States; and 

17 (III) otherwise ineligible to be 

18 admitted or paroled into the United 

19 States or to receive any other benefit 

20 under the Immigration and Nation21 ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). 

22 (ii) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.— 

23 (I) IN GENERAL.—The issuing 

24 consular officer, the Secretary of 

25 State, or the Secretary of Homeland 


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1 Security (or a designee of one of such 

2 Secretaries) shall, in accordance with 

3 section 221(i) of the Immigration and 

4 Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), 

5 revoke any visa or other entry docu6 mentation issued to an alien described 

7 in clause (i) regardless of when the 

8 visa or other entry documentation is 

9 issued. 

10 (II) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.— 

11 A revocation under subclause (I)— 

12 (aa) shall take effect imme13 diately; and 

14 (bb) shall automatically can15 cel any other valid visa or entry 

16 documentation that is in the 

17 alien’s possession. 

18 (2) PENALTIES.—The penalties provided for in 

19 subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the Inter20 national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 

21 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person that violates, 

22 attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a 

23 violation of regulations promulgated under section 

24 303 to carry out paragraph (1)(A) to the same ex25 tent that such penalties apply to a person that comVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:37 Jan 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H31.RFS H31

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1 mits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) of 

2 that Act. 

3 (3) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NA4 TIONS HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT.—Sanctions 

5 under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply with respect 

6 to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the 

7 United States is necessary to permit the United 

8 States to comply with the Agreement regarding the 

9 Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake 

10 Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force No11 vember 21, 1947, between the United Nations and 

12 the United States, or other applicable international 

13 obligations. 

14 TITLE II—ASSISTANCE FOR THE 

15 PEOPLE OF SYRIA 

16 SEC. 201. CODIFICATION OF CERTAIN SERVICES IN SUP17 PORT OF NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZA18 TIONS’ ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 

20 (b), section 542.516 of title 31, Code of Federal Regula21 tions (relating to certain services in support of nongovern22 mental organizations’ activities authorized), as in effect on 

23 the day before the date of the enactment of this Act, 

24 shall— 


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1 (1) remain in effect on and after such date of 

2 enactment; and 

3 (2) in the case of a nongovernmental organiza4 tion that is authorized to export or reexport services 

5 to Syria under such section on the day before such 

6 date of enactment, apply to such organization on 

7 and after such date of enactment to the same extent 

8 and in the same manner as such section applied to 

9 such organization on the day before such date of en10 actment. 

11 (b) EXCEPTION.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 542.516 of title 31, 

13 Code of Federal Regulations, as codified under sub14 section (a), shall not apply with respect to a foreign 

15 person that has been designated as a foreign ter16 rorist organization under section 219 of the Immi17 gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189), or oth18 erwise designated as a terrorist organization, by the 

19 Secretary of State, in consultation with or upon the 

20 request of the Attorney General or the Secretary of 

21 Homeland Security. 

22 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Paragraph (1) shall 

23 apply with respect to a foreign person on and after 

24 the date on which the designation of that person as 


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1 a terrorist organization is published in the Federal 

2 Register. 

3 SEC. 202. BRIEFING ON STRATEGY TO FACILITATE HUMANI4 TARIAN ASSISTANCE. 

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

6 date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall brief 

7 the appropriate congressional committees on the strategy 

8 of the President to help facilitate the ability of humani9 tarian organizations to access financial services to help fa10 cilitate the safe and timely delivery of assistance to com11 munities in need in Syria. 

12 (b) CONSIDERATION OF DATA FROM OTHER COUN13 TRIES AND NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.—In 

14 preparing the strategy required by subsection (a), the 

15 President shall consider credible data already obtained by 

16 other countries and nongovernmental organizations, in17 cluding organizations operating in Syria. 

18 (c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE19 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres20 sional committees’’ means— 

21 (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 

22 Committee on Financial Services, and the Com23 mittee on Appropriations of the House of Represent24 atives; and 


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1 (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 

2 Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af3 fairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

4 Senate. 

5 TITLE III—GENERAL 

6 PROVISIONS 

7 SEC. 301. SUSPENSION OF SANCTIONS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President may suspend in 

9 whole or in part the imposition of sanctions otherwise re10 quired under this Act for periods not to exceed 180 days 

11 if the President determines that the following criteria have 

12 been met in Syria: 

13 (1) The air space over Syria is no longer being 

14 utilized by the Government of Syria or the Govern15 ment of the Russian Federation to target civilian 

16 populations through the use of incendiary devices, 

17 including barrel bombs, chemical weapons, and con18 ventional arms, including air-delivered missiles and 

19 explosives. 

20 (2) Areas besieged by the Government of Syria, 

21 the Government of the Russian Federation, the Gov22 ernment of Iran, or a foreign person described in 

23 section 102(a)(2)(A)(ii) are no longer cut off from 

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1 tarian assistance, freedom of travel, and medical 

2 care. 

3 (3) The Government of Syria is releasing all po4 litical prisoners forcibly held within the prison sys5 tem of the regime of Bashar al-Assad and the Gov6 ernment of Syria is allowing full access to the same 

7 facilities for investigations by appropriate inter8 national human rights organizations. 

9 (4) The forces of the Government of Syria, the 

10 Government of the Russian Federation, the Govern11 ment of Iran, and any foreign person described in 

12 section 102(a)(2)(A)(ii) are no longer engaged in de13 liberate targeting of medical facilities, schools, resi14 dential areas, and community gathering places, in15 cluding markets, in violation of international norms. 

16 (5) The Government of Syria is— 

17 (A) taking steps to verifiably fulfill its 

18 commitments under the Convention on the Pro19 hibition of the Development, Production, Stock20 piling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on 

21 their Destruction, done at Geneva September 3, 

22 1992, and entered into force April 29, 1997 

23 (commonly known as the ‘‘Chemical Weapons 

24 Convention’’), and the Treaty on the Non-Pro25 liferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at WashVerDate Sep 11 2014 20:37 Jan 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H31.RFS H31

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1 ington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968, and 

2 entered into force March 5, 1970 (21 UST 

3 483); and 

4 (B) making tangible progress toward be5 coming a signatory to the Convention on the 

6 Prohibition of the Development, Production and 

7 Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and 

8 Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction, done 

9 at Washington, London, and Moscow April 10, 

10 1972, and entered into force March 26, 1975 

11 (26 UST 583). 

12 (6) The Government of Syria is permitting the 

13 safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Syrians dis14 placed by the conflict. 

15 (7) The Government of Syria is taking 

16 verifiable steps to establish meaningful account17 ability for perpetrators of war crimes in Syria and 

18 justice for victims of war crimes committed by the 

19 Assad regime, including by participation in a cred20 ible and independent truth and reconciliation proc21 ess. 

22 (b) BRIEFING REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 days 

23 after the President makes a determination described in 

24 subsection (a), the President shall provide a briefing to 

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1 mination and the suspension of sanctions pursuant to the 

2 determination. 

3 (c) REIMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.—Any sanctions 

4 suspended under subsection (a) shall be reimposed if the 

5 President determines that the criteria described in that 

6 subsection are no longer being met. 

7 (d) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec8 tion shall be construed to limit the authority of the Presi9 dent to terminate the application of sanctions under sec10 tion 102 with respect to a person that no longer engages 

11 in activities described in subsection (a)(2) of that section. 

12 (e) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE13 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres14 sional committees’’ means— 

15 (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 

16 Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on 

17 Ways and Means, the Committee on the Judiciary, 

18 and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

19 of Representatives; and 

20 (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 

21 Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af22 fairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Com23 mittee on Appropriations of the Senate. 


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1 SEC. 302. EXEMPTIONS; WAIVERS; EXCEPTION RELATING 

2 TO IMPORTATION OF GOODS. 

3 (a) EXEMPTIONS.—The following activities and 

4 transactions shall be exempt from sanctions authorized 

5 under this Act: 

6 (1) Any activity subject to the reporting re7 quirements under title V of the National Security 

8 Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.), or to any au9 thorized law enforcement, national security, or intel10 ligence activities of the United States. 

11 (2) Any transaction necessary to comply with 

12 United States obligations under— 

13 (A) the Agreement regarding the Head14 quarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake 

15 Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force 

16 November 21, 1947, between the United Na17 tions and the United States; 

18 (B) the Convention on Consular Relations, 

19 done at Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered 

20 into force March 19, 1967; or 

21 (C) any other international agreement to 

22 which the United States is a party. 

23 (b) WAIVER.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President may, for peri25 ods not to exceed 180 days, waive the application of 

26 any sanction authorized under this Act with respect 


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1 to a foreign person if the President certifies to the 

2 appropriate congressional committees that such a 

3 waiver is in the national security interests of the 

4 United States. 

5 (2) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after 

6 the issuance of a waiver under paragraph (1), and 

7 every 180 days thereafter while the waiver remains 

8 in effect, the President shall brief the appropriate 

9 congressional committees on the reasons for the 

10 waiver. 

11 (c) HUMANITARIAN WAIVER.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The President may waive, 

13 for renewable periods not to exceed 2 years, the ap14 plication of any sanction authorized under this Act 

15 with respect to a nongovernmental organization pro16 viding humanitarian assistance not covered by the 

17 authorization described in section 201 if the Presi18 dent certifies to the appropriate congressional com19 mittees that such a waiver is important to address 

20 a humanitarian need and is consistent with the na21 tional security interests of the United States. 

22 (2) BRIEFING.—Not later than 90 days after 

23 the issuance of a waiver under paragraph (1), and 

24 every 180 days thereafter while the waiver remains 

25 in effect, the President shall brief the appropriate 


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1 congressional committees on the reasons for the 

2 waiver. 

3 (d) EXCEPTION RELATING TO IMPORTATION OF

4 GOODS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The authorities and require6 ments to impose sanctions authorized under this Act 

7 shall not include the authority or requirement to im8 pose sanctions on the importation of goods. 

9 (2) GOOD DEFINED.—In this subsection, the 

10 term ‘‘good’’ means any article, natural or man11 made substance, material, supply or manufactured 

12 product, including inspection and test equipment, 

13 and excluding technical data. 

14 (e) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE15 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres16 sional committees’’ means— 

17 (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 

18 Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on 

19 Ways and Means, the Committee on the Judiciary, 

20 and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

21 of Representatives; and 

22 (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 

23 Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Af24 fairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Com25 mittee on Appropriations of the Senate. 


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1 SEC. 303. REGULATORY AUTHORITIES. 

2 The President shall, not later than 180 days after 

3 the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate regula4 tions as necessary for the implementation of this Act. 

5 SEC. 304. SUNSET. 

6 This Act shall cease to be effective on the date that 

7 is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

Passed the House of Representatives January 22, 

2019. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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