[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 101 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 101

  Calling upon the President to order an immediate moratorium on the 
  rendition of persons to Syria and all countries that routinely use 
 torture as reported by the Department of State's 2004 Country Reports 
           on Human Rights Practices, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2005

 Ms. McCollum of Minnesota (for herself and Mr. Blumenauer) submitted 
    the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Calling upon the President to order an immediate moratorium on the 
  rendition of persons to Syria and all countries that routinely use 
 torture as reported by the Department of State's 2004 Country Reports 
           on Human Rights Practices, and for other purposes.

Whereas expelling, returning, or extraditing a person to a country where there 
        are substantial grounds for believing that the person would be subjected 
        to torture is a violation of the Convention against Torture and Other 
        Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, a treaty 
        that the United States ratified in 1994;
Whereas in the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 Congress 
        stated it shall be the policy of the United States not to expel, 
        extradite, or otherwise effect the involuntary return of any person to a 
        country in which there are substantial grounds for believing the person 
        would be in danger of being subjected to torture, regardless of whether 
        the person is physically present in the United States;
Whereas Human Rights Watch states that the United States policy of ``denouncing 
        torture in Syria, and then handing over prisoners to Syrian torturers 
        sends the ultimate mixed message'';
Whereas Human Rights Watch urges the United States to promptly investigate, 
        publicly report its findings, and hold accountable those responsible for 
        unlawful actions which resulted in Mr. Maher Arar, a citizen of Canada, 
        being detained in New York by United States officials in 2002, 
        subsequently transferred to Syrian officials where he was held in a 
        Syrian prison, tortured and abused for 11 months until his release in 
        2003, and allowed to return to Canada; and
Whereas Human Rights Watch has called on the United States to end the transfer 
        of detainees to Syria and all countries that routinely engage in 
        torture: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) calls upon the President to order an immediate 
        moratorium on the rendition of persons to Syria and all 
        countries that routinely use torture as reported by the 
        Department of State's 2004 Country Reports on Human Rights 
        Practices; and
            (2) requests the President, the Secretary of State, the 
        Secretary of Defense, and the Director of Central Intelligence 
        to undertake a comprehensive review of the United States 
        practice with regard to renditions that will include--
                    (A) examining the nature of the assurances the 
                United States receives from Syria and all other 
                countries prior to transfer;
                    (B) steps taken to ensure persons are not tortured 
                or abused after rendition to Syria and all countries 
                that routinely use torture as reported by the 
                Department of State's 2004 Country Reports on Human 
                Rights Practices;
                    (C) an account of the actual fate of those who have 
                been turned over to Syria and all countries that 
                routinely use torture as reported by the Department of 
                State's 2004 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices;
                    (D) assurances, before lifting the moratorium on 
                the rendition of persons, that the practices and 
                actions of the United States are consistent with its 
                laws and international law, and that procedures are in 
                place to protect transferred detainees from being 
                subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or 
                degrading treatment; and
                    (E) a report of findings of the comprehensive 
                review to the Committee on International Relations of 
                the House of Representatives, the Committee on Foreign 
                Relations of the Senate, and all other relevant House 
                and Senate committees.
                                 <all>