engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of 
internationally recognized human rights. 
(2) Section 523 of the Foreign Assistance Act 
of 1961 states that none of the funds appropriated 
or otherwise made available pursuant to this Act 
shall be obligated to finance indirectly any assistance 
or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, Iran, Syria, 
North Korea, or Sudan, unless the President of the 
United States certifies that the withholding of these 
funds is contrary to the national interest of the 
United States. 
(3) Under the terms of Resolution 2043 of 
April 21, 2012, the United Nations Security Council 
established a United Nations Supervision Mission in 
Syria (UNSMIS), for an initial period of 90 days, 
under the command of a Chief Military Observer, 
comprising an initial deployment of up to 300 un-
armed military observers as well as an appropriate 
civilian component to fulfill the following mandate: 
To monitor a cessation of armed violence in all its 
forms by all parties and to monitor and support the 
full implementation of the UNSMIS’ six-point plan. 
(4) On June 15, 2012, UNSMIS suspended its 
activities owing to an intensification of armed vio-
lence across the country. 
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(5) On July 20, 2012, the Security Council ex-
tended UNSMIS for a final period of 30 days. Ac-
cording to Resolution 2059, the Council would only 
consider further extensions to the mission ‘‘in the 
event that the Secretary-General reports and the Se-
curity Council confirms the cessation of the use of 
heavy weapons and a reduction in the level of vio-
lence sufficient by all sides’’ to allow UNSMIS to 
implement its mandate. 
(6) As the conditions set by the Security Coun-
cil had not been met, UNSMIS mandate ended at 
midnight on August 19, 2012. 
(7) The al-Nusrah Front is designated by the 
Department of State as a Foreign Terrorist Organi-
zation. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the Government of Syria should imme-
diately cease the use of heavy weapons in population 
centers; 
(2) all parties within Syria should bring about 
a cessation of armed violence in all its forms; 
(3) the Secretary of State should continue to 
list Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism; 
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(4) in accordance with international law, the 
Government of Syria should immediately cease the 
use of chemical weapons; and 
(5) if the President considers initiating military 
action, including imposition of a ‘‘no fly’’ zone or 
other military operations on Syrian territory, air-
space, or waters— 
(A) according to article I, section 8, of the 
United States Constitution, ‘‘The Congress 
shall have Power To declare War, grant Letters 
of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules con-
cerning Captures on Land and Water.’’; 
(B) according to the War Powers Resolu-
tion, ‘‘The constitutional powers of the Presi-
dent as Commander-in-Chief to introduce 
United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or 
into situations where imminent involvement in 
hostilities is clearly indicated by the cir-
cumstances, are exercised only pursuant to (1) 
a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory au-
thorization, or (3) a national emergency created 
by attack upon the United States, its territories 
or possessions, or its armed forces.’’; and 
(C) the President should adhere to the 
War Powers Resolution and obtain specific stat-
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utory authorization for the use of the United 
States Armed Forces in response to the war in 
Syria. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT 
MILITARY OR PARAMILITARY OPERATIONS IN 
SYRIA. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, no assistance of any kind may be pro-
vided by any United States Government agency for the 
purpose, or which would have the effect, of promoting, 
augmenting, directly or indirectly, the capacity of any na-
tion, group, organization, movement, or individual to con-
duct military or paramilitary operations in Syria, unless 
and until Congress expressly authorizes such assistance by 
law enacted after the date of enactment of this section. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—Subsection (a) does not apply to 
assistance that is solely provided for humanitarian pur-
poses. 
Æ 
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