Syria Accountability Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-982
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2003-05-01 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alien property
American investments
Arab-Israeli conflict
Armed Forces and National Security
Arms sales
Ballistic missiles
Biological warfare
Boundaries
Chemical warfare
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Developing countries
Diplomats
EBB Terrorism
Education
Export controls
Finance and Financial Sector
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign loans
Government Operations and Politics
Imports
Intelligence officers
International agencies
International relief
Investment guaranty insurance
Iraq
Iraq compilation
Israel
Lebanon
Middle East and North Africa
Military occupation
Military withdrawal
National liberation movements
Nongovernmental organizations
Palestinians
Peace negotiations
Petroleum
President and foreign policy
Privileges and immunities
Recognition (International law)
Right to travel
Sanctions (International law)
September 11, 2001
Sovereignty
State-sponsored terrorism
Syria
Terrorism
United Nations
Weapons of mass destruction

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: 
Syria Accountability Act of 2003 - Declares the sense of Congress that: (1) Syria should halt support for terrorism, withdraw armed forces from Lebanon, stop develpment of ballistic missiles and biological and chemical weapons, and halt imports and transshipments of Iraqi oil; (2) Lebanon and Syria should enter into bilateral negotiations for peace with Israel; and (3) the United States should continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Lebanon only through private and international organizations until the Government of Lebanon asserts sovereignty over its borders.
 
Declares U.S. policy that Syria: (1) will be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism until it stops supporting terrorism; (2) is in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 520 through its continued occupation of Lebanese territory; and (3) has violated Resolution 661 by purchasing oil from Iraq. Declares that restoration of Lebanon's sovereignty is in the U.S. national interest.
 
Requires the President, unless the President certifies that Syria does not support international terrorist groups or allow them to maintain facilities in Syria, has withdrawn all security personnel from Lebanon, has ceased the development of ballistic missiles and biological and chemical weapons, and is no longer violating Resolution 661, to: (1) prohibit the export to Syria of specified defense articles or services and items on the Commerce Control List; and (2) impose two or more of specified sanctions (including prohibiting U.S. exports to, or U.S. businesses investments or operations in, Syria).
 
Authorizes the President to provide development assistance to Syria and Lebanon if the President: (1) makes that certification; (2) determines that progress has been made toward negotiating peace agreements between Israel, Syria, and Lebanon; and (3) determines that Syria is strictly respecting Lebanon's sovereignty.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5674)
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Introduced in Senate