I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8931 
To impose additional sanctions with respect to Syria, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 10, 2020 
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Commit-
tees on Financial Services, and Ways and Means, for a period to be sub-
sequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 
such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To impose additional sanctions with respect to Syria, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Stop the Killing in Syria Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
TITLE I—ADDITIONAL SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO SYRIA 
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Sec. 101. Sanctions with respect to certain government officials of countries as-
sisting or normalizing relations with Syria. 
Sec. 102. Sanctions with respect to financial institutions operating in Syria and 
certain foreign persons supporting the Government of Syria. 
Sec. 103. Sanctions with respect to certain individuals serving in the Lebanese 
Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces. 
Sec. 104. Sanctions with respect to directors, officers, and other officials em-
ployed in Syrian prisons and detention facilities determined to 
be engaged in the use of torture. 
Sec. 105. Mandatory application of sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian 
Protection Act of 2019. 
Sec. 106. Limitation on waiver authorities under the Caesar Civilian Protection 
Act of 2019. 
Sec. 107. Measures with respect to areas of Syria controlled by the Government 
of Syria. 
TITLE II—OTHER PROVISIONS 
Sec. 201. Determination and report relating to crimes against humanity, geno-
cide, and war crimes in Syria. 
Sec. 202. Assessment of potential effectiveness of and requirements for the es-
tablishment of a no-fly zone, safe zones, or a no-bombing zone 
in Syria. 
Sec. 203. Report on net worth of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. 
Sec. 204. Strategy and report for removing the al-Assad regime from power 
and achieving a transition to a free and democratic Syria. 
Sec. 205. Statement of policy. 
Sec. 206. Prohibition against United States recognition of the al-Assad regime 
in Syria. 
Sec. 207. Report on effect of lifting Iran sanctions on war crimes in Syria. 
Sec. 208. Certification regarding humanitarian aid provided to areas in Syria 
held by the al-Assad regime. 
Sec. 209. Proclamation authority regarding free Syria economic zones. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
the Committee on Financial Services of the 
House of Representatives; and 
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(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 
and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs of the Senate. 
(2) FOREIGN PERSON.—The term ‘‘foreign per-
son’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
1262 of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Ac-
countability Act (22 U.S.C. 2656 note). 
TITLE 
I—ADDITIONAL 
SANC-
TIONS 
WITH 
RESPECT 
TO 
SYRIA 
SEC. 101. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN GOVERN-
MENT OFFICIALS OF COUNTRIES ASSISTING 
OR NORMALIZING RELATIONS WITH SYRIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose the 
sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to senior 
foreign political figures and other senior government offi-
cials of countries on the lists required by subsection (b)(1). 
(b) LISTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and an-
nually thereafter, the President shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees— 
(A) a list of countries that— 
(i) expressly consent to, or with 
knowledge allow, the use of their territory 
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or financial institutions by the Government 
of Syria to assist such government’s war 
crimes, including through financing; or 
(ii) have a history of facilitating sanc-
tions evasion by the Government of Syria; 
(B) a list of countries, including countries 
that are members of the League of Arab States, 
that have diplomatic relations with Syria, or 
that continue to have extensive economic rela-
tions with Syria; and 
(C) a list of countries that are considering 
and taking steps towards establishing diplo-
matic relations with Syria. 
(2) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENT.—The Presi-
dent shall include the following countries that have 
established diplomatic relations with Syria as part of 
the lists required by paragraph (1) until such time 
as those countries have ceased having diplomatic re-
lations with the Government of Syria: Egypt, Jor-
dan, Lebanon, Iraq, Oman, and the United Arab 
Emirates. 
(3) FORM.—The lists required by paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may 
contain a classified annex if necessary. 
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(c) SANCTIONS
DESCRIBED.—The sanctions de-
scribed in this subsection are— 
(1) sanctions applicable with respect to a for-
eign person pursuant to section 7412(b) of the Cae-
sar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 (22 U.S.C. 
8791 note); and 
(2) sanctions applicable with respect to a for-
eign person pursuant to the Hezbollah International 
Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (50 U.S.C. 1701 
note). 
(d) SENIOR
FOREIGN
POLITICAL
FIGURE
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘senior foreign political 
figure’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
1010.605 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations. 
SEC. 102. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FINANCIAL INSTI-
TUTIONS OPERATING IN SYRIA AND CERTAIN 
FOREIGN PERSONS SUPPORTING THE GOV-
ERNMENT OF SYRIA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose the 
sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to each 
financial institution on the list required by subsection 
(b)(1)(A) and each person on the list required by sub-
section (b)(1)(B). 
(b) LISTS.— 
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