Title: Condemning the Assad regime and its backers for their continued support of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for a political solution to the conflict in Syria, condemns the Assad regime and the governments of Russia and Iran for their continued support of war crimes, and calls on the President and the Department of State to work toward a sustainable political transition in Syria.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1165 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1165

Condemning the Assad regime and its backers for their continued support 
          of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 30, 2018

Mr. Mast submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning the Assad regime and its backers for their continued support 
          of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria.

Whereas Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with the support of Iran and the 
        Russian Federation, has committed widespread atrocities against the 
        people of Syria, leading to one of the worst humanitarian crises in over 
        70 years, including the deaths of more than 500,000 people, the 
        destruction of more than 50 percent of Syria's critical infrastructure, 
        and the forced displacement of more than 14 million people;
Whereas the Assad regime, with the support of Iran and the Russian Federation, 
        has conducted violent attacks against humanitarian aid workers, 
        supplies, facilities, transports, and assets, and impeded the access and 
        secure movement of humanitarian personnel, and has used chemical weapons 
        against the Syrian people on numerous occasions;
Whereas since the introduction of Russian forces into Syria in September 2015, 
        Russia has deployed over 68,000 Russian personnel to help sustain the 
        Assad regime, and has reportedly transferred the S-300 surface-to-air 
        missile system to Syria, giving Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and other 
        Iranian-backed militias additional cover for their activities in Syria;
Whereas Iran is estimated to have deployed over 3,000 Islamic Revolutionary 
        Guard Corps (IRGC) and regular Iranian military advisers to Syria and 
        approximately 20,000 militia fighters, including 'Asaib ahl al-Haqq, 
        Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Fatimeyoun, and Zainabiyoun, which continue 
        to expand their presence in Syria;
Whereas Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has stated ``it's unlikely 
        Russia has the will or capability to fully implement and counter Iranian 
        decision and influence'' in Syria;
Whereas Iran's positions in Syria, which Iran has used to launch rockets and 
        drones toward Israel, are critical to Iran's efforts to create a ``land 
        bridge'' from Iran through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon so that it can arm 
        Hezbollah in Lebanon with rockets and missiles, and increase the 
        accuracy of Hezbollah's munitions;
Whereas Iranian-backed militias have demolished civilian areas, implemented 
        sieges, and evicted civilian residents throughout Syria in a campaign of 
        forced displacement, where Iranian-funded reconstruction plans to sell 
        housing developments to foreign militias risk establishing a permanent 
        Iranian presence and obstacle for return of thousands of Syrian families 
        who fled Syria; and
Whereas the Syrian Government has reportedly signed agreements with Iran and 
        IRGC controlled companies with respect to military cooperation: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports a political solution to the conflict which 
        will result in the air space of Syria no longer being utilized 
        by the Assad regime or Russia to target civilians, an end to 
        the sieges carried out by Assad, Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and 
        other Iranian-backed militias, and the release of all political 
        prisoners;
            (2) opposes international reconstruction funds from 
        supporting projects in Syria in areas controlled by the Assad 
        regime as long as the Assad regime remains in power;
            (3) condemns the Assad regime, the Government of the 
        Russian Federation, the Government of Iran, and Hezbollah and 
        other Iranian-backed militias for their continued support of 
        war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria, including the 
        widespread use of torture, summary executions, prolonged 
        sieges, forced relocations, and indiscriminate targeting of 
        civilians and humanitarian actors;
            (4) recognizes that as long as the Assad regime remains in 
        power, it will continue to oppress the Syrian people, the 
        Russian Federation will continue to expand its influence in the 
        Middle East, and Iran will remain entrenched in Syria;
            (5) calls upon the President and Secretary of State to work 
        towards a sustainable political transition in Syria that 
        results in a government in Syria that is not a danger to its 
        own people, abandons its chemical weapons program, allows for 
        the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of displaced persons, 
        and does not provide Iran with a platform to threaten Syria's 
        neighbors;
            (6) urges the President and the Secretary of State develop 
        a strategy to prevent a permanent Iranian presence in Syria, 
        understanding that the Russia Federation has not proven to be a 
        viable partner to help in this effort;
            (7) urges the Secretary of State to investigate and 
        determine whether the forced displacement of Syrian civilians 
        from their homes through brutal sieges, starvation, and 
        indiscriminate targeting of civilians, and repopulation with 
        foreign fighters constitutes sectarian or ethnic cleansing; and
            (8) calls on the President and Secretary of State to 
        determine whether militias operating in Syria under the command 
        of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including 
        Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Fatemiyoun, Zainabioun, and 'Asaib 
        ahl al-Haq are terrorist organizations and meet the criteria 
        for sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13460 or 13582.
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