III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 99 

Observing the 10th anniversary of the uprising in Syria. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 9, 2021 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. RISCH, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. RUBIO, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. KAINE, Mr. ROMNEY, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. 

HAGERTY, and Mr. COONS) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Observing the 10th anniversary of the uprising in Syria. 

Whereas 10 years ago, on March 15, 2011, in the midst of 

the Arab Spring, hundreds of Syrians peacefully assembled to call on their leadership for democratic reforms 

and respect for their fundamental freedoms, sparking a 

nationwide movement; 

Whereas in response to the predominantly peaceful protests, 

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered unyielding violence against the people of Syria, including arbitrary detentions, torture, killing, and attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, often under the false premise of 

combating terrorism; 

Whereas over the course of this conflict, the Assad regime 

has exhibited unrelenting depravity in its use of chemical 


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•SRES 99 IS 

weapons and barrel bombs, deliberately targeting civilian 

infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, and committing gross violations of international humanitarian 

law; 

Whereas the former Syrian military photographer ‘‘Caesar’’ 

meticulously photographed the Assad regime’s widespread 

system of arrest, detention, torture and murder of tens 

of thousands of Syrian protesters and dissidents, and 

then courageously smuggled 55,000 of those photographs 

out of Syria, exposing the regime’s barbarity for the 

world to witness; 

Whereas the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 

(22 U.S.C. 8791 note), which became law on December 

20, 2019— 

(1) seeks accountability for the Assad regime and its 

international enablers for atrocities against the Syrian 

people; 

(2) denies the Assad regime the resources to fuel its 

war machine; and 

(3) sends a clear signal to the international community against normalizing, rehabilitating, or legitimizing 

Assad and his backers; 

Whereas Iran and Russia intervened militarily in support of 

the Assad regime, enabling and actively participating in 

the Assad regime’s horrific brutalities against civilians in 

favor of advancing their narrow interests and in some 

cases empowered extremist groups; 

Whereas in pursuit of its narrow self-interest, Russia, backed 

by China, has blunted United Nations’ efforts to preserve 

vital border crossings that serve as a critical humanitarian lifeline to the beleaguered Syrian population; 


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Whereas the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria exacerbated the 

suffering of the Syrian people through the violent and 

hostile seizure of territory, misapplication of Islamic law, 

destruction and smuggling of antiquities, and oil smuggling, turning Syria into a global hub for terrorist activity; 

Whereas the Assad regime, and its Russian and Iranian 

backers, are largely responsible for the death of more 

than 500,000 Syrian civilians, and the displacement of 

more than 12,000,000 men, women, and children within 

and outside of Syria’s borders, imposing irreversible trauma and loss for a whole generation; 

Whereas millions of Syrians are struggling to survive, with 

more than 13,000,000 Syrians who are in need of humanitarian assistance and more than 9,000,000 Syrians 

who are facing food insecurity; 

Whereas international efforts to secure a peaceful political 

transition of power in Syria, in accordance with United 

Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, adopted on 

December 18, 2015, remain stymied, due almost entirely 

to the intransigence of Russia and the Assad regime, 

holding the people of Syria hostage; 

Whereas the people and Government of the United States 

support the people of Syria in their aspirations for peace, 

stability, dignity, and accountability: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) solemnly observes the 10th anniversary of 

3 the Syrian uprising; 


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1 (2) affirms that it is the policy of the United 

2 States— 

3 (A) to seek a political solution to the Syr4 ian conflict; 

5 (B) to continue to stand with the people of 

6 Syria; 

7 (C) to further efforts to secure a perma8 nent ceasefire; 

9 (D) to continue work on the constitutional 

10 committee free from regime intransigence; and 

11 (E) to foster conditions for free and fair 

12 elections in accordance with United Nations Se13 curity Council Resolution 2254; 

14 (3) affirms that it is the policy of the United 

15 States to promote adherence to the laws of war by 

16 all parties engaging in hostilities in Syria; 

17 (4) affirms that it is the policy of the United 

18 States to support international humanitarian efforts 

19 to assist innocent civilians, including through sup20 port for displaced populations and the promotion of 

21 accountability for perpetrators of human rights 

22 abuses; 

23 (5) commits to continuing efforts to hold the 

24 Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian backers 

25 accountable for war crimes and crimes against huVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:55 Mar 10, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR99.IS SR99

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1 manity; including through implementation of the 

2 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019; 

3 (6) commends the bravery of Syrian human 

4 rights defenders who, in the service of justice and 

5 accountability, have courageously documented the 

6 atrocities committed by the Assad regime and its 

7 Russian and Iranian backers over the course of this 

8 conflict; 

9 (7) condemns the indiscriminate use of force by 

10 all actors in Syria, including the Assad regime, its 

11 proponents, its opponents, and extremist groups; 

12 and 

13 (8) calls on the United States Government to 

14 reinvigorate diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict 

15 as outlined under United Nations Security Council 

16 Resolution 2254, and to expand humanitarian aid to 

17 the Syrian people so they may— 

18 (A) be free from violence, whether from 

19 the state or other armed groups; 

20 (B) return to their communities of their 

21 own free will and in an informed manner; 

22 (C) participate in transitional justice; and 

23 (D) decide their own futures through free 

24 and fair elections that result in a legitimate 


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1 representative government that serves all Syr2 ians. 

Æ 


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