A resolution emphasizing the urgency of responding to attacks in Israel and the greater region from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies, and for other purposes.

Bill: 118-sres-462
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
Introduced: 2023-11-14
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-11-14
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S5510)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-11-14
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution supports the President's efforts to deter Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hamas, and other Iranian proxies from expanding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.</p><p>The resolution also recognizes Israel's right to self-defense and encourages the President to work to secure the safe release and return of all hostages held by Hamas.</p>

tv_txt: III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 462 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 14 (legislative day, November 13), 2023 Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Sullivan , Mrs. Britt , Mr. Thune , Ms. Collins , Ms. Rosen , Mr. Manchin , and Mrs. Gillibrand ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Emphasizing the urgency of responding to attacks in Israel and the greater region from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has provided financing, training, and other forms of support to Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and other proxies; Whereas the current leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has publicly confirmed and lauded the support the group receives from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating I give thanks to those who provided funds and weaponry to the courageous resistance, the Islamic Republic of Iran, [which] has not skimped in extending funds, weaponry, and technology to the resistance ; Whereas, on October 8, 1997, the Secretary of State designated Hamas and Hezbollah foreign terrorist organizations in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1189 ); Whereas, on September 20, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia and Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman stated that [e]very day we get closer to normalizing relations with Israel; Whereas, on October 7, 2023, in part to derail the normalization process, Hamas launched an unprovoked attack against the State of Israel, brutally murdering over 1,200 innocent men, women, and children, while injuring thousands more; Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas committed war crimes by taking hundreds of innocent civilians hostage, including babies, children, women, elderly, and Holocaust survivors, and has proceeded to place innocent civilians around key locations as human shields; Whereas, on October 8, 2023, Israel officially declared war on Hamas; Whereas, on October 10, 2023, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to deter additional actors, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, the IRGC, and other proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran from escalating tensions in the region; Whereas, on October 14, 2023, the Department of Defense announced the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group would be repositioned to join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea; Whereas, on October 19, 2023, the USS Carney intercepted missiles and drones that were launched by Iranian-backed Houthi militias towards Israel; Whereas, on October 25, 2023, it was reported that in the weeks leading up to Hamas’ attack on Israel, roughly 500 Hamas and PIJ militants received specialized combat training in the Islamic Republic of Iran from officers of the Quds Force, the foreign-operations arm of the IRGC; Whereas United States troops and personnel stationed in Iraq and Syria have come under rocket and drone attack numerous times since October 7, 2023, resulting in the injury of over 50 servicemembers; Whereas, on October 26, 2023, in response to attacks against United States troops and personnel in Iraq and Syria, the President of the United States authorized precision strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by the IRGC and affiliated groups; Whereas, on November 9, 2023, the President of the United States authorized a precision strike on an IRGC weapons storage site in Syria to clearly communicate that there should be no escalation of hostilities in the region and that the President has no higher priority than the safety of United States troops and personnel; Whereas, on November 12, 2023, the United States conducted precision strikes against a training facility and a safe house in eastern Syria used by the IRGC and affiliated groups; Whereas Hezbollah reportedly has at least 150,000 missiles, some of which are precision-guided, that could be launched at Israel without warning, overwhelm the Iron Dome air defense system, and greatly expand the conflict; Whereas Hamas, through its actions, has proven its goal is to destroy Israel, eradicate the Jewish population, undermine peace and normalization efforts in the region, cause severe economic decline and political unrest in the region, and curtail future investments that would allow Israel and other Middle Eastern states to grow and prosper; and Whereas the Biden Administration must continue to clearly communicate to the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the IRGC, that further attacks on Israel, the United States, or partners and allies by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, or other proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran are unacceptable: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) supports the President’s efforts to deter the Islamic Republic of Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, and other proxies from expanding the ongoing conflict, and recognizes deterrence is most credible when the President keeps all options on the table, including the use of military force in accordance with constitutional processes; (2) recognizes Israel’s right to self-defense and its operations to ensure Hamas can never again terrorize innocent Israelis and Palestinians; (3) encourages the President to work to secure the safe release and return of all hostages held by Hamas; (4) commends the President’s decision to position military and diplomatic assets in the region to deter escalation of the conflict by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, and other proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq or Syria; (5) recognizes that all responsible nations agree that Hamas is a terrorist organization that must be fought, dismantled and prevented from having the capacity to further terrorize Israel and the region; and (6) urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the support of the United States, to continue diplomatic negotiations to normalize relations and establish lasting peace, prosperity, and stability in the Middle East.