Responding to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.

Subjects: International Affairs, Disaster relief and insurance, Foreign aid and international relief, Homelessness and emergency shelter, Middle East, Natural disasters, Refugees, asylum, displaced persons, Syria, Turkey

Summary:  <p>This resolution mourns the loss of life in Turkey (Turkiye) and Syria caused by the earthquakes in Turkey on February 6, 2023. The resolution also (1) applauds the work of humanitarian aid and rescue workers on the ground; and (2) condemns the efforts by the Assad regime of Syria to exploit the disaster to evade international pressure and accountability, including by preventing the United Nations from providing assistance through border crossings between Turkey and Syria.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 132 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 132

Responding to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 17, 2023

 Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, 
 Ms. Tenney, Ms. Wild, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. McCormick, Mr. 
      Connolly, Mr. Gimenez, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Moylan, Ms. Dean of 
   Pennsylvania, Mr. Issa, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Kean of New Jersey, Ms. 
 Stevens, Mr. Ellzey, Mr. Cohen, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Keating, Mr. Norman, 
Ms. Lois Frankel of Florida, Mr. Lawler, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Waltz, Ms. 
 Manning, Mrs. Radewagen, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Timmons, and Mr. Panetta) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
  on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial 
Services, and the Judiciary, 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


 
Responding to the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023.

Whereas, on February 6, 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central-southern 
        Turkiye, followed by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake later the same day, 
        followed by over a thousand aftershocks in Turkiye and northwest Syria;
Whereas the earthquakes have caused massive death and destruction, killing more 
        than 36,000 people and injuring tens of thousands more in Turkiye and 
        Syria;
Whereas the United States Agency for International Development and other 
        agencies mobilized Federal agencies and partners to provide life-saving 
        assistance to the people of Turkiye and Syria;
Whereas dangerous freezing winter weather conditions negatively impacted rescue 
        efforts and put earthquake survivors at further risk after thousands of 
        buildings collapsed into rubble;
Whereas the Republic of Turkiye is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
        ally of the United States;
Whereas prior to the devastating earthquakes, millions of people in Syria were 
        relying on humanitarian assistance, and Turkiye was hosting more than 
        3,500,000 Syrian refugees;
Whereas through 12 years of war in Syria, the Assad regime has impeded the 
        delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians, including those in 
        areas now impacted by the February 6, 2023, earthquakes;
Whereas the Russian Federation and People's Republic of China have used their 
        veto power at the United Nations Security Council to restrict the number 
        of United Nations-authorized border crossings between Turkiye and Syria 
        from four to just one--Bab al-Hawa;
Whereas although areas outside of the Assad regime's control have been the worst 
        affected by the earthquake, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stated that 
        any aid to victims must go through the Syrian Government in Damascus;
Whereas Department of State Spokesman Ned Price has stated it would be ``ironic, 
        if not even counterproductive, for us to reach out to a government that 
        has brutalized its people over the course of a dozen years now'';
Whereas the Assad regime has shamefully used the earthquake to call for the 
        lifting of United States sanctions, falsely claiming that such sanctions 
        impede the aid response; and
Whereas the human cost of this disaster transcends mere statistics and has 
        resulted in deeply personal tragedies for countless families: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) mourns the horrific loss of life in Turkiye and Syria 
        caused by the earthquakes in Turkiye on February 6, 2023;
            (2) expresses its deep condolences to the families of the 
        many earthquake victims;
            (3) applauds the heroic work of humanitarian aid and rescue 
        workers on the ground to save lives and provide care for 
        victims, including United States Agency for International 
        Development Urban Search and Rescue teams, the Armed Forces of 
        the United States, including members of such Armed Forces 
        stationed at the Incirlik Air Force base in Turkiye, and the 
        Syrian Civil Defense, otherwise known as the White Helmets;
            (4) applauds the response to the earthquake tragedy by the 
        United States Government, other governments, and 
        nongovernmental organizations;
            (5) applauds the civilians in Turkiye and Syria who have 
        selflessly volunteered to assist with response to the 
        devastating aftermath;
            (6) urges the international community to support heroic 
        disaster response efforts in Turkiye and Syria, including those 
        by the Syrian Civil Defense, the White Helmets;
            (7) condemns efforts by the Assad regime to cynically 
        exploit the disaster to evade international pressure and 
        accountability, including by preventing the United Nations from 
        providing assistance through multiple border crossings between 
        Turkiye and Syria;
            (8) calls on the Biden administration to continue to use 
        all diplomatic tools, including through the United Nations 
        Security Council, to open all Turkiye-Syria border crossings 
        for United Nations assistance;
            (9) underscores the need for international assistance to 
        reach northwest Syria to assist with disaster relief;
            (10) calls for an increased oversight mechanism to ensure 
        that United States-funded assistance is not diverted for the 
        benefit of the Assad regime;
            (11) urges the Biden administration to remain committed to 
        the protection of the Syrian people including by implementing 
        the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019; and
            (12) welcomes the Republic of Turkiye's continuing support 
        to Syrian refugees in Turkiye and in northwestern Syria.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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