[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1141 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1141

To strengthen sanctions against the Government of Syria, to establish a 
program to support a transition to a democratically elected government 
  in Syria and the restoration of sovereignty and democratic rule in 
                    Lebanon, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2005

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Engel, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Mack, Mrs. Jo 
  Ann Davis of Virginia, Mr. Boozman, and Ms. Berkley) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International 
  Relations, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, 
Ways and Means, and Government Reform, 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 strengthen sanctions against the Government of Syria, to establish a 
program to support a transition to a democratically elected government 
  in Syria and the restoration of sovereignty and democratic rule in 
                    Lebanon, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Lebanon and Syria 
Liberation Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
    TITLE I--STRENGTHENING OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST SYRIA

Sec. 101. Declarations of policy.
Sec. 102. Codification of existing sanctions.
Sec. 103. Sanctions against certain persons.
Sec. 104. Sanctions against certain foreign countries.
Sec. 105. Diplomatic efforts.
Sec. 106. Report on assistance to, and commerce with, Syria.
TITLE II--ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY IN SYRIA AND SOVEREIGNTY AND 
                          DEMOCRACY IN LEBANON

Sec. 201. Declarations of policy.
Sec. 202. Assistance to support a transition to democracy in Syria and 
                            restoration of sovereign democratic 
                            governance in Lebanon.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on International Relations and 
                the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            (2) Person.--The term ``person'' means any United States or 
        foreign individual, partnership, corporation, or other form of 
        association, or any of their successor entities, parents or 
        subsidiaries.
            (3) Syria.--The term ``Syria'' includes any agency or 
        instrumentality of Syria.
            (4) United states assistance.--The term ``United States 
        assistance'' means--
                    (A) any assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act 
                of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2251 et seq.), other than urgent 
                humanitarian assistance or medicine;
                    (B) sales and assistance under the Arms Export 
                Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.);
                    (C) financing by the Commodity Credit Corporation 
                for export sales of agricultural commodities; and
                    (D) financing under the Export-Import Bank Act of 
                1945 (12 U.S.C. 635 et seq.).

    TITLE I--STRENGTHENING OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST SYRIA

SEC. 101. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY.

    Congress makes the following declarations of policy:
            (1) The actions of the Government of the Syrian Arab 
        Republic, including its support for terrorism, its development 
        of long-range missiles and weapons of mass destruction programs 
        and capabilities, its continued occupation of the Lebanese 
        Republic in violation of its international obligations, its 
        support for, and facilitation of, all terrorist activities 
        inside of Iraq, and its massive, systematic, and extraordinary 
        violations of human rights of both the Syrian and Lebanese 
        people, are a threat to the national security interests of the 
        United States and international peace.
            (2) The policy of the United States shall be to deny Syria 
        the ability to carry out the following:
                    (A) To finance, provide safe-haven, or otherwise 
                support terrorist organizations.
                    (B) To develop biological, chemical, or nuclear 
                weapons and long-range ballistic missiles.
                    (C) To continue to occupy and otherwise interfere 
                in the affairs of the Government of Lebanon in 
                contravention of United Nations Security Council 
                Resolutions 425 (1978), 426 (1978), 520 (1982), and 
                1559 (2004), and other pertinent obligations.
                    (D) To continue to oppress the people of Syria.
            (3) The President should advocate for, and should instruct 
        the United States Permanent Representative to the United 
        Nations to propose and seek within the United Nations Security 
        Council, a mandatory international embargo against the 
        Government of Syria, pursuant to Article 41 of the Charter of 
        the United Nations.
            (4) Any effort by a country that is a recipient of United 
        States foreign assistance to facilitate, directly or 
        indirectly, the development of Syria's nuclear, biological, or 
        chemical weapons capabilities, long-range ballistic missile 
        development programs, or to help make operational any nuclear 
        facility in Syria will have a detrimental impact on United 
        States assistance to such country.

SEC. 102. CODIFICATION OF EXISTING SANCTIONS.

    United States sanctions, controls, and regulations relating to 
Syria and persons who are determined to be facilitating the Government 
of Syria, as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act, shall 
remain in effect until the President certifies to the appropriate 
congressional committees that--
            (1) a government exists in Syria that--
                    (A) has ceased any and all support for terrorism;
                    (B) has permanently dismantled Syria's biological, 
                chemical, or nuclear weapons programs and has committed 
                to combat the proliferation of such weapons;
                    (C) has withdrawn from Lebanon and respects the 
                boundaries and sovereignty of all neighboring 
                countries; and
                    (D) upholds and defends human rights and civil 
                liberties; and
            (2) sovereignty has been restored to Lebanon and there 
        exists a freely-elected, internationally recognized democratic 
        government in Lebanon.

SEC. 103. SANCTIONS AGAINST CERTAIN PERSONS.

    (a) Prohibition.--If any person knowingly transfers or retransfers 
goods or technology so as to contribute to the efforts by Syria to 
acquire or develop destabilizing numbers and types of advanced 
conventional weapons, or to acquire, develop, produce, or stockpile 
biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic 
missiles, then the sanctions described in subsection (b) shall be 
imposed.
    (b) Sanctions.--The sanctions to be imposed pursuant to subsection 
(a) are as follows:
            (1) Procurement sanction.--The United States Government 
        shall not procure, or enter into any contract for the 
        procurement of, any goods or services from the sanctioned 
        person.
            (2) Export sanction.--The United States Government shall 
        not issue any license for any export by or to the sanctioned 
        person.
            (3) Import sanction.--The President shall ban the 
        importation of any article that is a product of the sanctioned 
        person.

SEC. 104. SANCTIONS AGAINST CERTAIN FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

    (a) Prohibition.--If the President determines that the government 
of any foreign country knowingly transfers or retransfers goods or 
technology, or provides assistance, so as to contribute to the efforts 
by Syria to acquire or develop destabilizing numbers and types of 
advanced conventional weapons, or to acquire, develop, produce, or 
stockpile biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons and long-range 
ballistic missiles, then two or more of the sanctions described in 
subsection (b), and the sanctions described in subsection (c), shall be 
imposed.
    (b) Sanctions.--The sanctions referred to in subsection (a) are as 
follows:
            (1) Suspension of united states assistance.--The United 
        States Government shall suspend United States assistance to the 
        sanctioned country.
            (2) Export sanction.--The United States Government shall 
        not issue any license for any export by or to the sanctioned 
        country.
            (3) Import sanction.--The President shall ban the 
        importation of any article that is a product of the sanctioned 
        country.
            (4) International financial institution assistance.--The 
        Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States 
        Executive Director at each international financial institution 
        (as defined in section 1701(c)(2) of the International 
        Financial Institutions Act) to oppose and vote against the 
        extension by such institution of any financial or technical 
        assistance to the sanctioned country.
            (5) Suspension of codevelopment or coproduction 
        agreements.--The United States shall suspend compliance with 
        its obligations under any memorandum of understanding with the 
        sanctioned country for the codevelopment or coproduction of any 
        item on the United States Munitions List (established under 
        section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778)), 
        including any obligation for implementation of the memorandum 
        of understanding through the sale to the sanctioned country of 
        technical data or assistance or the licensing for export to the 
        sanctioned country of any component part.
            (6) United states munitions list.--No item on the United 
        States Munitions List (established pursuant to section 38 of 
        the Arms Export Control Act) may be exported to the sanctioned 
        country.
    (c) Suspension of Military and Dual-Use Technical Exchange 
Agreements.--The United States shall suspend compliance with its 
obligations under any technical exchange agreement involving military 
and dual-use technology between the United States and the sanctioned 
country that does not directly contribute to the security of the United 
States, and no military or dual-use technology may be exported from the 
United States to the sanctioned country pursuant to that agreement 
during that period.

SEC. 105. DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS.

    (a) Bilateral Efforts.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of State should ensure that United States diplomatic 
personnel abroad understand and, in their contacts with foreign 
officials, are communicating the reasons for United States policy and 
sanctions against the Government of Syria, and are urging foreign 
governments to cooperate more effectively with the Government of the 
United States.
    (b) United Nations System.--The President shall direct the United 
States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United Nations 
organizations and entities, and United Nations affiliated agencies and 
bodies, to continue to use the voice and vote of the United States to 
oppose Syria's membership and candidacy for leadership posts in such 
institutions, and engage in diplomatic efforts to secure multilateral 
support for such efforts.
    (c) United Nations Commission on Human Rights.--The President shall 
take the necessary steps to secure support for a resolution at the 
United Nations Commission on Human Rights holding the the Government of 
Syria accountable for its systematic violations of human rights of 
Syrian and Lebanese citizens and calling for the appointment of a 
United Nations Special Rapporteur to investigate these human rights 
violations.
    (d) International Financial Institutions.--The President shall 
instruct the United States Executive Director at each international 
financial institution (as defined in section 1701(c)(2) of the 
International Financial Institutions Act) to use the voice and vote of 
the United States to oppose any loan or other assistance to Syria and 
to oppose Syria's membership in the institution.
    (e) International Atomic Energy Agency.--The President shall 
instruct the United States Permanent Representative to the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to seek the adoption of a 
resolution calling on Syria to declare all nuclear related facilities, 
immediately and unconditionally suspend any activity which could be 
used to develop nuclear weapons capability, and provide full access to 
IAEA inspectors to its nuclear-related facilities.
    (f) United States and Regional Contact Groups.--The President shall 
seek to establish contact groups with relevant countries in the Middle 
East to provide forums in which United States officials who are 
responsible for counter-proliferation efforts are able to meet, at 
least twice each year, with their counterpart from such countries to--
            (1) discuss the global threats presented by Iranian nuclear 
        proliferation and sponsorship of international terrorism; and
            (2) develop strategies to effectively address these 
        threats.

SEC. 106. REPORT ON ASSISTANCE TO, AND COMMERCE WITH, SYRIA.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and on an annual basis thereafter, the President shall 
transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 
assistance to, and commerce with, Syria by other foreign countries 
during the preceding 12-month period.
    (b) Contents.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall, for 
the period covered by the report, contain the following information, to 
the extent such information is available:
            (1) A description of all bilateral assistance provided to 
        Syria by other foreign countries, including humanitarian 
        assistance.
            (2) A description of Syria's commerce with foreign 
        countries, including an identification of Syria's trading 
        partners and the extent of such trade.
            (3) A description of the joint ventures completed, or under 
        consideration, by foreign nationals and business firms 
        involving facilities in Syria, including an identification of 
        the location of the facilities involved and a description of 
        the terms of agreement of the joint ventures and the names of 
        the parties that are involved.
            (4) A determination of the amount of debt of the Government 
        of Syria that is owed to each foreign country, including--
                    (A) the amount of debt exchanged, forgiven, or 
                reduced under the terms of each investment or operation 
                in Syria involving foreign nationals; and
                    (B) the amount of debt owed to the foreign country 
                that has been exchanged, forgiven, or reduced in return 
                for a grant by the Syrian Government of an equity 
                interest in a property, investment, or operation of the 
                Syrian Government or of a Syrian national.
            (5) A description of the steps taken to assure that raw 
        materials and semifinished or finished goods produced by 
        facilities in Syria involving foreign nationals do not enter 
        the United States market, either directly or through third 
        countries or parties.
            (6) An identification of countries and entities that 
        provide, or have provided, arms or military supplies from Syria 
        or that otherwise have entered into agreements with Syria that 
        could have a military application, including--
                    (A) a description of the military supplies, 
                equipment, or other material sold, bartered, or 
                exchanged between Syria and such countries;
                    (B) a listing of the goods, services, credits, or 
                other consideration received by Syria in exchange for 
                military supplies, equipment, or material; and
                    (C) the terms or conditions of any such agreement.
    (c) Form.--The report submitted under subsection (a) shall be in 
unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

TITLE II--ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRACY IN SYRIA AND SOVEREIGNTY AND 
                          DEMOCRACY IN LEBANON

SEC. 201. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY.

    (a) Syria.--It shall be the policy of the United States to support 
independent human rights and pro-democracy forces in Syria to promote 
the emergence of a democratic government that--
            (1) will denounce and combat terrorism;
            (2) will dismantle its biological, chemical, and nuclear 
        weapons programs and commit to combat the proliferation of such 
        weapons;
            (3) will respect the boundaries and sovereignty of its 
        neighbors and live in peace and security with all the countries 
        in the region; and
            (4) will uphold and defend the human rights and civil 
        liberties of its citizens.
    (b) Lebanon.--It shall be the policy of the United States to 
initiate efforts to restore Lebanese sovereignty, including the 
immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Syrian personnel from 
Lebanon, and to support Lebanese civil society and pro-democracy forces 
in restoring a freely-elected, internationally recognized democratic 
government in Lebanon.

SEC. 202. ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT A TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY IN SYRIA AND 
              RESTORATION OF SOVEREIGN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN 
              LEBANON.

    (a) Authorization.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
President is authorized to provide assistance and other support for 
individuals and independent nongovernmental organizations to support a 
transition to a freely-elected, internationally recognized democratic 
government in Syria and the restoration of sovereign, democratic rule 
in Lebanon.
    (b) Activities Supported.--Assistance provided under subsection (a) 
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be used to carry out the 
following activities:
            (1) Democracy-building and civil society efforts in Syria 
        and Lebanon, including the provision of assistance to 
        organizations certified by the President to be independent 
        democratic organizations, victims of political repression and 
        their families, and prisoners of conscience and their families.
            (2) Radio and television broadcasting to Syria and Lebanon 
        to support democracy-building and civil society efforts in 
        Syria and Lebanon.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the President to carry out this section such sums as 
may be necessary for fiscal year 2006 and each subsequent fiscal year.
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