IV 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1285 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 21, 2010 Mr. Engel (for himself and Mr. Kirk) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Condemning the Government of Syria for transferring Scud missiles to the Hizballah terrorist organization, and for other purposes.

Whereas Hizballah was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by Secretaries of State Albright, Powell, Rice, and Clinton in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act; Whereas, according to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Hizballah murdered 241 United States servicemen in 1983 at the Marine barracks in Beirut; Whereas Hizballah also claimed responsibility for the murder of 17 Americans at the United States Embassy in Beirut in 1983 under the pseudonym, Islamic Jihad; Whereas Hizballah receives direction, weapons, and millions of dollars per year from Iran and is strongly supported by Syria; Whereas Syria was first designated as a state sponsor of terrorism by President Carter on December 29, 1979; Whereas Presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama reaffirmed Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism; Whereas the Government of Syria allows Iran to transfer weapons to Hizballah across the Syrian-Lebanese border in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701; Whereas the Government of Syria has materially supported Iran’s efforts to rearm Hizballah reportedly with greater quantity and quality of rockets and missiles than it had before the August 2006 conflict; Whereas recent media reports state that the Government of Syria directly transferred Scud missiles to Hizballah; Whereas Scud missiles in the hands of the Hizballah terrorist organization put the lives of United States citizens and the security of democratic allies like the State of Israel in serious jeopardy; Whereas a Department of State spokesperson stated on April 19, 2010, the United States condemns in the strongest terms the transfer of any arms, and especially ballistic missile systems such as the SCUD, from Syria to Hizballah. … The transfer of these arms can only have a destabilizing effect on the region, and would pose an immediate threat to both the security of Israel and the sovereignty of Lebanon.; Whereas, on July 26, 2009, Special Envoy George Mitchell informed the Government of Syria that the United States would process requests for waivers normally and expeditiously with regard to spare aircraft parts, information-technology products and telecommunications equipment; Whereas, on February 16, 2010, President Obama nominated Robert Ford to be Ambassador to Syria; and Whereas, in the wake of the Government of Syria’s reported decision to transfer Scud missiles to the Hizballah terrorist organization, any perceived easing of sanctions would be seen as condoning Syria’s dangerous efforts to destabilize the Middle East and undermine peace: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)strongly condemns the Government of Syria for transferring Scud missiles and other advanced weapons and missile systems to the Hizballah terrorist organization; (2)strongly condemns the Government of Syria for materially supporting the transfer of Iranian weapons to Hizballah across the Syrian-Lebanese border in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701; (3)urges the President to reevaluate the nomination of Robert Ford as Ambassador to Syria; (4)urges the President to tighten and enforce all existing sanctions against the Government of Syria; (5)urges the President to impose all sanctions authorized by the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–175; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note) against the Government of Syria; (6)urges the President and the Secretary of State to work with United States allies to increase international pressure on Syria for its support of terrorist groups; and (7)urges the President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of the Treasury to use all tools at their disposal to increase pressure on the Government of Syria to comply with its international obligations and end its sponsorship of the Hizballah terrorist organization.