[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 133 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 133

 Expressing the concern of Congress over Russian and Syrian actions in 
                            support of Iraq.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 1, 2003

  Mr. Lantos submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the concern of Congress over Russian and Syrian actions in 
                            support of Iraq.

Whereas there have been numerous reports that foreign entities have assisted and 
        continue to assist Iraq in acquiring military equipment that can be used 
        against the coalition forces currently fighting to liberate the Iraqi 
        people from the terrorist regime of Saddam Hussein;
Whereas the United States and Russia have in the last several years developed a 
        new relationship based on cooperation and shared interests, rather than 
        competition and self-defeating searching for unilateral advantages;
Whereas the interactions of the President of the United States and the President 
        of the Russian Federation have heretofore been distinguished by warmth 
        and trust;
Whereas Russian private entities reportedly have recently provided night-vision 
        goggles and anti-tank missiles to Iraq, which have placed coalition 
        forces in greater jeopardy and could cause the injury and death of 
        members of United States and other coalition forces;
Whereas Russian private entities reportedly have recently provided Global 
        Positioning System satellite jamming devices to prevent precision 
        weapons of the United States from hitting their targets, thereby 
        increasing the likelihood of civilian casualties;
Whereas the Government of the Russia Federation has not acted forcefully to stop 
        these transfers and has essentially dismissed the criticism by the 
        United States;
Whereas the Government of Syria, which has for a long period of time been 
        designated by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism, has 
        been assisting Iraq, another state sponsor of terrorism, against the 
        coalition forces;
Whereas Syria reportedly has been shipping military equipment to Iraq during a 
        time of war with coalition forces;
Whereas Syria reportedly has also been assisting terrorists to cross the border 
        into Iraq to fight against coalition forces;
Whereas to the extent that Syria's efforts prop up the terrorist regime of 
        Saddam Hussein, the Government of Syria shares responsibility for 
        prolonging the suffering of the Iraqi people and for the injuries and 
        deaths of members of United States and other coalition forces;
Whereas the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State have both warned 
        Syria to stop shipping military supplies and equipment to Iraq; and
Whereas these actions by Syria and the Russian Federation directly threaten 
        American lives and amount to the defense of a terrorism-supporting 
        dictatorship against the forces of freedom: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) condemns in the strongest possible terms the actions by 
        the Government of Syria, a state sponsor of terrorism under 
        United States law, in transferring military equipment to the 
        terrorist government of Iraq, at a time when coalition forces 
        are fighting to liberate the people of Iraq, and demands that 
        these transfers cease immediately;
            (2) further condemns Syria's policy of allowing terrorists 
        to cross its border to fight for the regime of Saddam Hussein;
            (3) demands that Syria and all other states bordering 
        Iraq--
                    (A) prevent any crossing into Iraq of individuals 
                or groups, Iraqi or non-Iraqi, who intend to fight in 
                support of the regime of Saddam Hussein; and
                    (B) prevent any emigration from Iraq of Iraqi 
                soldiers or officials affiliated with the regime of 
                Saddam Hussein;
            (4) condemns the failure of the Russian Federation to 
        intercede and prevent Russian private entities from engaging in 
        the sale of lethal military weapons and other military goods to 
        the terrorist government of Iraq;
            (5) declares that--
                    (A) any state that continues to assist the regime 
                of Saddam Hussein will be seen by the people of the 
                United States as directly opposing the vital interests 
                of the United States; and
                    (B) there should be the most severe consequences 
                for the future relations between the United States and 
                any such state;
            (6) underscores its full agreement with Secretary of State 
        Colin Powell's statement of March 30, 2003 that Syria faces ``a 
        critical choice'' between ``direct support for terrorist groups 
        and the dying regime of Saddam Hussein, or . . . embark[ing] on 
        a different and more hopeful course'' and that Syria will bear 
        full responsibility for its choice;
            (7) awaits with keen interest any information about foreign 
        suppliers of military and dual-use equipment that may be 
        uncovered by coalition forces in the coming weeks and months; 
        and
            (8) urges the President to keep the Congress fully and 
        currently informed concerning the matters addressed in this 
        resolution.
                                 <all>