IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 549 
Calling for democratic change in Syria. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2012 
Mr. ELLISON submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Calling for democratic change in Syria. 
Whereas the Syrian Arab Republic is a signatory to the 
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 
(ICCPR), adopted at New York December 16, 1966, the 
United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other 
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 
done at New York December 10, 1984, and the Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights, adopted at Paris, Decem-
ber 10, 1948. 
Whereas, in March 2011, peaceful demonstrations in Syria 
began against the authoritarian rule of Bashar al-Assad; 
Whereas, in response to the demonstrations, the Government 
of Syria launched a brutal crackdown, which has resulted 
in gross human rights violations, use of force against ci-
vilians, torture, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary execu-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
00:08 Feb 16, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR549.IH
HR549
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 549 IH 
tions, sexual violence, and interference with access to 
medical treatment; 
Whereas the United Nations estimated that, as of January 
25, 2012, more than 5,400 people in Syria had been 
killed since the violence began in March 2011; 
Whereas, on August 18, 2011, President Barack Obama 
called upon President Bashar al-Assad to step down from 
power; 
Whereas the Department of State has repeatedly condemned 
the Government of Syria’s crackdown on its people, in-
cluding on January 30, 2012, when Secretary of State 
Hillary Clinton stated ‘‘The status quo is unsustainable. 
. . . The longer the Assad regime continues its attacks 
on the Syrian people and stands in the way of a peaceful 
transition, the greater the concern that instability will es-
calate and spill over throughout the region.’’; 
Whereas President Obama, on April 29, 2011, designated 3 
individuals subject to sanctions for humans rights abuses 
in Syria: Mahir al-Assad, the brother of Syrian President 
Bashar al-Assad and brigade commander in the Syrian 
Army’s 4th Armored Division; Atif Najib, the former 
head of the Political Security Directorate for Daraa 
Province and a cousin of Bashar al-Assad; and Ali 
Mamluk, director of Syria’s General Intelligence Direc-
torate; 
Whereas, on May 18, 2011, President Obama issued an exec-
utive order sanctioning senior officials of the Syrian Arab 
Republic and their supporters, specifically designating 
seven people: President Bashar al-Assad, Vice President 
Farouk al-Shara, Prime Minister Adel Safar, Minister of 
the Interior Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar, Minister of 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
00:08 Feb 16, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR549.IH
HR549
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 549 IH 
Defense Ali Habib Mahmoud, Head of Syrian Military 
Intelligence Abdul Fatah Qudsiya, and Director of Polit-
ical Security Directorate Mohammed Dib Zaitoun; 
Whereas President Obama, on August 17, 2011, issued Exec-
utive Order 13582, blocking property of the Government 
of Syria and prohibiting certain transactions with respect 
to Syria; 
Whereas, on December 1, 2011, the Department of the 
Treasury designated two individuals, Aus Aslan and Mu-
hammad Makhluf, under Executive Order 13573 and two 
entities, the Military Housing Establishment and the 
Real Estate Bank of Syria, under Executive Order 
13582; 
Whereas, on May 6, 2011, the European Union’s 27 coun-
tries imposed sanctions on the Government of Syria for 
the human rights abuses, including asset freezes and visa 
bans on members of the Government of Syria and an 
arms embargo on the country; 
Whereas, on November 12, 2011, the League of Arab States 
voted to suspend Syria’s membership in the organization; 
Whereas, on December 2, 2011, the United Nations Human 
Rights Council passed Resolution S–18/1, which recalls 
General Assembly resolution A/RES/66/176 of December 
19, 2011, as well as Human Rights Council resolutions 
S–16/1, S–17/1 and S–18/1, and further deplores the 
human rights situation in Syria, commends the League 
of Arab States, and supports implementation of its Plan 
of Action; 
Whereas the League of Arab States approved and imple-
mented a plan of action to send a team of international 
monitors to Syria, which began December 26, 2011; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:20 Feb 16, 2012
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR549.IH
HR549
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 549 IH 
Whereas, on January 28, 2012, the League of Arab States 
decided to suspend its international monitoring mission 
due to escalating violence within Syria; 
Whereas, on February 4, 2012, the Russian Federation and 
People’s Republic of China vetoed a United Nations Se-
curity Council Resolution in support of the League of 
Arab States’ Plan of Action; 
Whereas the Governments of the Russian Federation and the 
Islamic Republic of Iran remain major suppliers of mili-
tary equipment to the Government of Syria notwith-
standing that government’s violent repression of dem-
onstrators; and 
Whereas the gross human rights violations perpetuated by 
the Government of Syria against the people of Syria rep-
resent a grave risk to regional peace and stability: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) strongly condemns the ongoing, widespread, 
and systemic violations of human rights conducted 
by authorities in Syria, including the use of force 
against civilians, torture, extrajudicial killings, arbi-
trary executions, sexual violence, and interference 
with access to medical treatment; 
(2) maintains that Bashar al-Assad has lost all 
claims to legitimacy due to the perpetuation of mass 
atrocities against the people of Syria and continued 
violations of human rights; 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
00:08 Feb 16, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR549.IH
HR549
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 549 IH 
(3) calls upon Bashar al-Assad to step down 
from power; 
(4) strongly condemns the Governments of the 
Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran 
for providing military and security equipment to the 
Government of Syria, which has been used to repress 
peaceful demonstrations and commit mass atrocities 
against unarmed civilian populations in Syria; 
(5) commends the League of Arab States’ ef-
forts to bring about a peaceful resolution in Syria; 
(6) regrets that the League of Arab States ob-
server mission was not able to monitor the full im-
plementation of the League of Arab States’ Action 
Plan of November 2, 2011, due to the escalating vio-
lence in Syria; 
(7) commends President Obama for authorizing 
targeted sanctions on human rights abusers in Syria 
and for extending these sanctions to 12 individuals; 
(8) encourages the President to continue desig-
nating for sanctions all individuals responsible for 
human rights violations in Syria; 
(9) urges the President to support an effective 
transition to democracy in Syria by identifying and 
providing substantial material and technical support, 
upon request, to Syrian organizations that are rep-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
00:08 Feb 16, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR549.IH
HR549
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 549 IH 
resentative of the people of Syria, make demon-
strable commitments to protect human rights and 
religious freedom, reject terrorism, cooperate with 
international counterterrorism and nonproliferation 
efforts, and abstain from destabilizing neighboring 
countries; 
(10) urges the President to develop a plan to 
identify weapons stockpiles and prevent the pro-
liferation of conventional, biological, chemical, and 
other types of weapons in Syria; 
(11) urges the Department of State to establish 
a ‘‘Friends of the Syrian People’’ Contact Group of 
countries committed to democratic change in Syria, 
including Turkey, members of the League of Arab 
States, and members of the European Union; 
(12) urges the Department of State to develop 
a strategy to encourage defections from the military 
of the Government of Syria; 
(13) urges the President to diplomatically en-
gage with the Republic of Turkey and members of 
the League of Arab States and the European Union 
to discuss options to protect the people of Syria, in-
cluding the provision of robust humanitarian assist-
ance, the viability of establishing a safe haven along 
the borders of Syria, and the use of all means avail-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
00:08 Feb 16, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR549.IH
HR549
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 549 IH 
able to monitor and publicly report on abuses inside 
the country; and 
(14) urges the international community to mo-
bilize in support of a post-Assad democratic and in-
clusive Government of Syria that holds accountable 
those responsible for crimes against humanity and 
gross violations of human rights. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
00:08 Feb 16, 2012
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR549.IH
HR549
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS