Title: Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019
This bill establishes additional sanctions and financial restrictions on institutions and individuals related to the conflict in Syria.
The Department of the Treasury shall determine whether the Central Bank of Syria is a financial institution of primary money laundering concern and, if so, impose one or more special measures, such as requiring domestic financial institutions to maintain additional records on transactions involving the bank.
The President shall impose sanctions on foreign persons that provide significant support to or engage in a significant transaction with the Syrian government or the military forces or contractors acting on behalf of Syria, Russia, or Iran. The bill also imposes sanctions on those that knowingly sell or provide
The sanctions include blocking of financial and property transactions and barring of entry into the United States. Such sanctions shall not apply to various nongovernmental organizations and activities related to providing humanitarian aid or supporting democratic institutions in Syria.
The President may suspend some or all of the sanctions under certain conditions, including if it is in the United States' national security interests.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 31 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 31

 To require certain additional actions in connection with the national 
        emergency with respect to Syria, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2019

  Mr. Engel (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Kinzinger, Mr. 
 Cicilline, Mr. Yoho, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Hastings, Mr. 
   Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Hill of Arkansas, Mr. 
  Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Weber of Texas, Ms. Meng, Mr. 
 Chabot, Mr. Kildee, Mrs. Wagner, Mr. Suozzi, Mrs. Brooks of Indiana, 
  Mr. Moulton, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Rooney of 
Florida, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Stivers, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Hurd of 
  Texas, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Keating, Ms. Frankel, Mr. 
 Langevin, Mr. Levin of California, Mr. Sires, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, 
and Ms. Eshoo) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on 
Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require certain additional actions in connection with the national 
        emergency with respect to Syria, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act 
of 2019''.

 TITLE I--ADDITIONAL ACTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY 
                         WITH RESPECT TO SYRIA

SEC. 101. MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO CENTRAL BANK OF SYRIA.

    (a) Determination Regarding Central Bank of Syria.--Not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
the Treasury shall determine, under section 5318A of title 31, United 
States Code, whether reasonable grounds exist for concluding that the 
Central Bank of Syria is a financial institution of primary money 
laundering concern.
    (b) Enhanced Due Diligence and Reporting Requirements.--If the 
Secretary of the Treasury determines under subsection (a) that 
reasonable grounds exist for concluding that the Central Bank of Syria 
is a financial institution of primary money laundering concern, the 
Secretary, in consultation with the Federal functional regulators (as 
defined in section 509 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6809)), 
shall impose one or more of the special measures described in section 
5318A(b) of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the Central 
Bank of Syria.
    (c) Report Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after making a 
        determination under subsection (a) as to whether or not the 
        Central Bank of Syria is a financial institution of primary 
        money laundering concern, the Secretary of the Treasury shall 
        submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
        that includes the reasons for the determination.
            (2) Form.--A report required by paragraph (1) shall be 
        submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
        annex.
            (3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee 
                on Financial Services, and the Committee on 
                Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
                Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and 
                the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

SEC. 102. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN PERSONS THAT ENGAGE IN 
              CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS.

    (a) Imposition of Sanctions.--
            (1) In general.--On and after the date that is 180 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 
        shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with 
        respect to a foreign person if the President determines that 
        the foreign person, on or after such date of enactment, 
        knowingly engages in an activity described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Activities described.--A foreign person engages in an 
        activity described in this paragraph if the foreign person--
                    (A) knowingly provides significant financial, 
                material, or technological support to, or knowingly 
                engages in a significant transaction with--
                            (i) the Government of Syria (including any 
                        entity owned or controlled by the Government of 
                        Syria) or a senior political figure of the 
                        Government of Syria;
                            (ii) a foreign person that is a military 
                        contractor, mercenary, or a paramilitary force 
                        knowingly operating in a military capacity 
                        inside Syria for or on behalf of the Government 
                        of Syria, the Government of the Russian 
                        Federation, or the Government of Iran; or
                            (iii) a foreign person subject to sanctions 
                        pursuant to the International Emergency 
                        Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) 
                        with respect to Syria or any other provision of 
                        law that imposes sanctions with respect to 
                        Syria;
                    (B) knowingly sells or provides significant goods, 
                services, technology, information, or other support 
                that significantly facilitates the maintenance or 
                expansion of the Government of Syria's domestic 
                production of natural gas, petroleum, or petroleum 
                products;
                    (C) knowingly sells or provides aircraft or spare 
                aircraft parts that are used for military purposes in 
                Syria for or on behalf of the Government of Syria to 
                any foreign person operating in an area directly or 
                indirectly controlled by the Government of Syria or 
                foreign forces associated with the Government of Syria;
                    (D) knowingly provides significant goods or 
                services associated with the operation of aircraft that 
                are used for military purposes in Syria for or on 
                behalf of the Government of Syria to any foreign person 
                operating in an area described in subparagraph (C); or
                    (E) knowingly, directly or indirectly, provides 
                significant construction or engineering services to the 
                Government of Syria.
            (3) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, 
        in implementing this section, the President should consider 
        financial support under paragraph (2)(A) to include the 
        provision of loans, credits, or export credits.
    (b) Sanctions Described.--
            (1) In general.--The sanctions to be imposed with respect 
        to a foreign person subject to subsection (a) are the 
        following:
                    (A) Blocking of property.--The President shall 
                exercise all of the powers granted to the President 
                under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 
                (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to 
                block and prohibit all transactions in property and 
                interests in property of the foreign person if such 
                property and interests in property are in the United 
                States, come within the United States, or are or come 
                within the possession or control of a United States 
                person.
                    (B) Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or 
                parole.--
                            (i) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien 
                        who the Secretary of State or the Secretary of 
                        Homeland Security (or a designee of one of such 
                        Secretaries) knows, or has reason to believe, 
                        has knowingly engaged in any activity described 
                        in subsection (a)(2) is--
                                    (I) inadmissible to the United 
                                States;
                                    (II) ineligible to receive a visa 
                                or other documentation to enter the 
                                United States; and
                                    (III) otherwise ineligible to be 
                                admitted or paroled into the United 
                                States or to receive any other benefit 
                                under the Immigration and Nationality 
                                Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
                            (ii) Current visas revoked.--
                                    (I) In general.--The issuing 
                                consular officer, the Secretary of 
                                State, or the Secretary of Homeland 
                                Security (or a designee of one of such 
                                Secretaries) shall, in accordance with 
                                section 221(i) of the Immigration and 
                                Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i)), 
                                revoke any visa or other entry 
                                documentation issued to an alien 
                                described in clause (i) regardless of 
                                when the visa or other entry 
                                documentation is issued.
                                    (II) Effect of revocation.--A 
                                revocation under subclause (I)--
                                            (aa) shall take effect 
                                        immediately; and
                                            (bb) shall automatically 
                                        cancel any other valid visa or 
                                        entry documentation that is in 
                                        the alien's possession.
            (2) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections 
        (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency 
        Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person 
        that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or 
        causes a violation of regulations promulgated under section 
        303(b) to carry out paragraph (1)(A) to the same extent that 
        such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act 
        described in section 206(a) of that Act.
            (3) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters 
        agreement.--Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply 
        with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien 
        into the United States is necessary to permit the United States 
        to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 
        United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and 
        entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United 
        Nations and the United States, or other applicable 
        international obligations.

              TITLE II--ASSISTANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA

SEC. 201. CODIFICATION OF CERTAIN SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF 
              NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS' ACTIVITIES AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), section 
542.516 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to certain 
services in support of nongovernmental organizations' activities 
authorized), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment 
of this Act, shall--
            (1) remain in effect on and after such date of enactment; 
        and
            (2) in the case of a nongovernmental organization that is 
        authorized to export or reexport services to Syria under such 
        section on the day before such date of enactment, apply to such 
        organization on and after such date of enactment to the same 
        extent and in the same manner as such section applied to such 
        organization on the day before such date of enactment.
    (b) Exception.--
            (1) In general.--Section 542.516 of title 31, Code of 
        Federal Regulations, as codified under subsection (a), shall 
        not apply with respect to a foreign person that has been 
        designated as a foreign terrorist organization under section 
        219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189), or 
        otherwise designated as a terrorist organization, by the 
        Secretary of State, in consultation with or upon the request of 
        the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security.
            (2) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall apply with respect 
        to a foreign person on and after the date on which the 
        designation of that person as a terrorist organization is 
        published in the Federal Register.

SEC. 202. BRIEFING ON STRATEGY TO FACILITATE HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the President shall brief the appropriate 
congressional committees on the strategy of the President to help 
facilitate the ability of humanitarian organizations to access 
financial services to help facilitate the safe and timely delivery of 
assistance to communities in need in Syria.
    (b) Consideration of Data From Other Countries and Nongovernmental 
Organizations.--In preparing the strategy required by subsection (a), 
the President shall consider credible data already obtained by other 
countries and nongovernmental organizations, including organizations 
operating in Syria.
    (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
        Financial Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
        House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
        Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate.

                     TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. SUSPENSION OF SANCTIONS.

    (a) In General.--The President may suspend in whole or in part the 
imposition of sanctions otherwise required under this Act for periods 
not to exceed 180 days if the President determines that the following 
criteria have been met in Syria:
            (1) The air space over Syria is no longer being utilized by 
        the Government of Syria or the Government of the Russian 
        Federation to target civilian populations through the use of 
        incendiary devices, including barrel bombs, chemical weapons, 
        and conventional arms, including air-delivered missiles and 
        explosives.
            (2) Areas besieged by the Government of Syria, the 
        Government of the Russian Federation, the Government of Iran, 
        or a foreign person described in section 102(a)(2)(A)(ii) are 
        no longer cut off from international aid and have regular 
        access to humanitarian assistance, freedom of travel, and 
        medical care.
            (3) The Government of Syria is releasing all political 
        prisoners forcibly held within the prison system of the regime 
        of Bashar al-Assad and the Government of Syria is allowing full 
        access to the same facilities for investigations by appropriate 
        international human rights organizations.
            (4) The forces of the Government of Syria, the Government 
        of the Russian Federation, the Government of Iran, and any 
        foreign person described in section 102(a)(2)(A)(ii) are no 
        longer engaged in deliberate targeting of medical facilities, 
        schools, residential areas, and community gathering places, 
        including markets, in violation of international norms.
            (5) The Government of Syria is--
                    (A) taking steps to verifiably fulfill its 
                commitments under the Convention on the Prohibition of 
                the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of 
                Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, done at 
                Geneva September 3, 1992, and entered into force April 
                29, 1997 (commonly known as the ``Chemical Weapons 
                Convention''), and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation 
                of Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London, and 
                Moscow July 1, 1968, and entered into force March 5, 
                1970 (21 UST 483); and
                    (B) making tangible progress toward becoming a 
                signatory to the Convention on the Prohibition of the 
                Development, Production and Stockpiling of 
                Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on 
                their Destruction, done at Washington, London, and 
                Moscow April 10, 1972, and entered into force March 26, 
                1975 (26 UST 583).
            (6) The Government of Syria is permitting the safe, 
        voluntary, and dignified return of Syrians displaced by the 
        conflict.
            (7) The Government of Syria is taking verifiable steps to 
        establish meaningful accountability for perpetrators of war 
        crimes in Syria and justice for victims of war crimes committed 
        by the Assad regime, including by participation in a credible 
        and independent truth and reconciliation process.
    (b) Briefing Required.--Not later than 30 days after the President 
makes a determination described in subsection (a), the President shall 
provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees on the 
determination and the suspension of sanctions pursuant to the 
determination.
    (c) Reimposition of Sanctions.--Any sanctions suspended under 
subsection (a) shall be reimposed if the President determines that the 
criteria described in that subsection are no longer being met.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to limit the authority of the President to terminate the 
application of sanctions under section 102 with respect to a person 
that no longer engages in activities described in subsection (a)(2) of 
that section.
    (e) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
        Financial Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, the 
        Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations 
        of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
        Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on the 
        Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

SEC. 302. WAIVERS AND EXEMPTIONS.

    (a) Exemptions.--The following activities and transactions shall be 
exempt from sanctions authorized under this Act:
            (1) Any activity subject to the reporting requirements 
        under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
        3091 et seq.), or to any authorized law enforcement, national 
        security, or intelligence activities of the United States.
            (2) Any transaction necessary to comply with United States 
        obligations under--
                    (A) the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 
                United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, 
                and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the 
                United Nations and the United States;
                    (B) the Convention on Consular Relations, done at 
                Vienna April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 
                1967; or
                    (C) any other international agreement to which the 
                United States is a party.
    (b) Waiver.--
            (1) In general.--The President may, for periods not to 
        exceed 180 days, waive the application of any provision of this 
        Act with respect to a foreign person if the President certifies 
        to the appropriate congressional committees that such a waiver 
        is in the national security interests of the United States.
            (2) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the issuance of 
        a waiver under paragraph (1), and every 180 days thereafter 
        while the waiver remains in effect, the President shall brief 
        the appropriate congressional committees on the reasons for the 
        waiver.
    (c) Humanitarian Waiver.--
            (1) In general.--The President may waive, for renewable 
        periods not to exceed 2 years, the application of any provision 
        of this Act with respect to a nongovernmental organization 
        providing humanitarian assistance not covered by the 
        authorization described in section 201 if the President 
        certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that such 
        a waiver is important to address a humanitarian need and is 
        consistent with the national security interests of the United 
        States.
            (2) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the issuance of 
        a waiver under paragraph (1), and every 180 days thereafter 
        while the waiver remains in effect, the President shall brief 
        the appropriate congressional committees on the reasons for the 
        waiver.
    (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
        Financial Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, the 
        Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations 
        of the House of Representatives; and
            (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
        Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on the 
        Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

SEC. 303. IMPLEMENTATION AND REGULATORY AUTHORITIES.

    (a) Implementation Authority.--The President may exercise all 
authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the 
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) 
for purposes of carrying out this Act.
    (b) Regulatory Authority.--The President shall, not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate 
regulations as necessary for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 304. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act may be construed to limit the authority of the 
President pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 
(50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or any other provision of law.

SEC. 305. SUNSET.

    This Act shall cease to be effective on the date that is 5 years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>