II 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4695 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OCTOBER 30, 2019 
Received 
AN ACT 
To impose sanctions with respect to Turkey, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect Against Con-
flict by Turkey Act’’ or the ‘‘PACT Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States and Turkey have been 
treaty allies since 1952, when Turkey became a 
member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO); 
(2) being a NATO member means that Turkey 
is treaty bound to safeguard the principles of democ-
racy, individual liberty, and the rule of law and, im-
portantly, should be united with other NATO allies 
in efforts for collective defense and the preservation 
of peace and security; 
(3) Turkey’s military invasion of northern Syria 
on October 9, 2019, is an unacceptable and unneces-
sary escalation of tensions with the potential to 
cause a severe humanitarian crisis and undo the col-
lective gains made in the fight against the Islamic 
State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by the United States 
and the 81 countries and organizations of the Global 
Coalition to Defeat ISIS, including NATO and the 
European Union (EU); 
(4) Turkey should immediately cease attacks 
against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Kurd-
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ish and Arab civilians, and other religious and ethnic 
minority communities in northern Syria and recall 
its forces back to Turkey; 
(5) targeted sanctions against Turkey are an 
appropriate response in order for Turkey to be held 
accountable for its military invasion of northern 
Syria; 
(6) Turkey’s military invasion of northern Syria 
is the latest example of the weakening and problem-
atic United States-Turkey bilateral relationship and 
undermines the security of the United States and its 
NATO allies, including that of Turkey; 
(7) the SDF have been critical partners to 
United States and allied counter-ISIS and broader 
counterterrorism efforts in Syria, and the United 
States should continue this partnership with the 
SDF; 
(8) the United States Government should utilize 
diplomatic and military tools to ensure the enduring 
defeat of ISIS; 
(9) the United States should stand by critical 
allies and partners; 
(10) Russian and Iranian political and military 
influence in Syria present a threat to United States 
national security interests; and 
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(11) the United States Government, in concert 
with the international community, should hold ac-
countable members of the Syrian regime and the 
Governments of the Russian Federation and Iran for 
atrocities against the Syrian people. 
SEC. 3. SANCTIONS AGAINST SENIOR TURKISH OFFICIALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 15 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall im-
pose the sanctions described in section 14 with respect to 
the following foreign persons in connection with Turkey’s 
military invasion of northern Syria on October 9, 2019: 
(1) The Minister of National Defense of Tur-
key. 
(2) The Chief of the General Staff of the Turk-
ish Armed Forces. 
(3) The Commander of the 2nd Army of the 
Turkish Armed Forces. 
(4) The Minister of Treasury and Finance of 
Turkey. 
(b) ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS.— 
(1) LIST.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense 
and the Director of National Intelligence, shall sub-
mit to the President and appropriate congressional 
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committees a list of the following foreign persons in 
connection with Turkey’s military invasion of north-
ern Syria on October 9, 2019: 
(A) Senior Turkish defense officials in-
volved in the decision to invade northern Syria. 
(B) Senior Turkish military officials lead-
ing attacks against the Syrian Democratic 
Forces (SDF), Kurdish and Arab civilians, or 
other religious or ethnic minority communities 
in northern Syria. 
(C) Turkish officials significantly facili-
tating Turkey’s military invasion of northern 
Syria. 
(D) Any Turkish official or member of the 
Turkish Armed Forces who is responsible for, 
complicit in, or has directly or indirectly en-
gaged, or has attempted to engage, in any of 
the following relating to Turkey’s military inva-
sion of northern Syria: 
(i) A violation of the law of armed 
conflict. 
(ii) A gross violation of internationally 
recognized human rights. 
(2) UPDATES.—The list required under para-
graph (1) shall be updated every 60 days, until the 
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sanctions under this section are terminated in ac-
cordance with section 7. 
(3) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.—Not later than 
15 days after submission of the list required under 
paragraph (1) and each update relating thereto in 
accordance with paragraph (2), the President shall 
impose the sanctions described in section 14 with re-
spect to foreign persons identified in such list and 
related updates. 
(c) WAIVER.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President may waive, 
on a case-by-case basis and for a period of not more 
than 90 days, the imposition of sanctions under this 
section with respect to a foreign person if the Presi-
dent— 
(A) determines that— 
(i) it is vital to the national security 
interests of the United States to do so; and 
(ii) Turkey— 
(I) has halted attacks against the 
SDF, Kurdish and Arab civilians, and 
other religious and ethnic minority 
communities in northern Syria; and 
(II) is not hindering counter-ter-
rorism operations against ISIS; and 
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propriate congressional committees a jus-
tification relating to such determination. 
(B) RENEWAL OF WAIVERS.—The Presi-
dent may, on a case-by-case basis, renew a 
waiver under subparagraph (A) for an addi-
tional period of not more than 90 days if, not 
later than 15 days before such a waiver expires, 
the President determines it is vital to the na-
tional security interests of the United States to 
do so and submits to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a justification relating to 
such determination. 
SEC. 7. TERMINATION AUTHORITY. 
(a) SECTIONS 3, 4, AND 5.—The authority to impose 
sanctions under sections 3 and 5 (and the sanctions im-
posed pursuant to such sections) and the prohibitions 
under section 4 shall terminate if the President determines 
and submits to the appropriate congressional committees 
a finding that— 
(1) Turkey has halted attacks against the Syr-
ian Democratic Forces, Kurdish and Arab civilians, 
and other religious and ethnic minority communities 
in northern Syria; 
(2) Turkish forces not involved in coordinated 
operations with NATO allies or the Global Coalition 
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