IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 17 

Expressing concern over the disappearance of Austin Tice, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 3, 2017 

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 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 

Expressing concern over the disappearance of Austin Tice, 

and for other purposes. 

Whereas Austin Tice is a 34-year-old former United States 

Marine infantry officer and Georgetown law student and 

graduate of Georgetown University, from Houston, 

Texas; 

Whereas Austin was an Eagle Scout, National Merit Finalist, 

and eldest of seven children; 

Whereas Austin was a contributing freelancer to McClatchy 

Newspapers, the Washington Post and other media outlets and a recipient of the 2012 George Polk Award for 

War Reporting; 


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•HRES 17 IH 

Whereas in May 2012, Austin reportedly slipped under a 

fence at the Turkey-Syria border to report on the intensifying civil war from in and around Damascus, Syria; 

Whereas, on August 11, 2012, Austin celebrated his 31st 

birthday in Darayya, Syria, then was scheduled to travel 

to Beirut, Lebanon; 

Whereas in August 2012, Austin did not travel as planned 

to Lebanon and his frequent emails to his family stopped; 

Whereas in late September 2012, a video clip appeared on 

YouTube showing Austin blindfolded and being prodded 

up a hillside by masked militants; 

Whereas in the more than 1,000 days since Austin’s disappearance, no group has claimed responsibility for his 

capture; 

Whereas the Syrian government has never acknowledged detaining Austin and has denied the same to Austin’s parents; 

Whereas U.S. officials believe the government of Bashar alAssad or a group affiliated with it is holding him; 

Whereas Austin Tice’s parents, Marc and Debra Tice have 

been diligent in their efforts to find their son, by 

partnering with Reporters Without Borders and a New 

York ad agency to launch ‘‘The Blindfold Pledge’’ to 

dramatize the increasing dangers to journalists in repressive regimes around the world; 

Whereas the couple also helped deploy four billboards across 

Harris County, Texas, last fall bearing their son’s likeness and the phrase: ‘‘Over 1,000 days in captivity for 

being a journalist’’; 


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•HRES 17 IH 

Whereas the Tices have appeared at forums and panels discussions on the threats facing journalists around the 

world, including one during the week of April 4, 2016, 

at Georgetown, Austin’s alma mater; 

Whereas the couple has promoted an online petition urging 

the U.S. Government to ramp up efforts to bring their 

son home; 

Whereas nearly 270 newspapers and media organizations 

have highlighted the journalist’s case on their Web sites 

as a result of the Tices’ efforts; 

Whereas according to the Houston Chronicle, the Obama administration first confirmed they spoke with Syrian officials about Austin’s case sometime in 2015, though they 

denied visiting or seeing Austin, as had been initially reported by the French newspaper Le Figaro; and 

Whereas, on April 8, 2016, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Austin remains a focus of the administration’s diplomatic efforts, often working through 

Czech officials who serve as intermediaries between the 

United States and the Syrian Arab Republic governments: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses its ongoing concern about the dis3 appearance of Austin Tice in Damascus, Syria, in 

4 August 2012; 

5 (2) encourages the Department of State and 

6 the intelligence community to jointly continue inves7 tigations and to consider all plausible explanations 

8 for Austin’s disappearance; 


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•HRES 17 IH 

1 (3) urges the Department of State and the in2 telligence community to coordinate investigations 

3 with the Syrian Arab Republic government and so4 licit information from appropriate regional affairs 

5 and law enforcement experts on plausible expla6 nations for Austin’s disappearance; 

7 (4) encourages the Department of State to 

8 work with foreign governments known to have diplo9 matic influence with the Government of Syria; 

10 (5) encourages the intelligence community to 

11 assess the possibility of the involvement of the Gov12 ernment of Syria in Austin Tice’s disappearance and 

13 to possibly seek his recovery; and 

14 (6) requests that the Department of State and 

15 the intelligence community continue to work with 

16 and inform Congress and the family of Austin Tice 

17 on efforts to possibly recover Austin and to resolve 

18 his disappearance. 

Æ 


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