[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1165 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 1165

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                     December 11, 2018.
Whereas Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with the support of Iran and the 
        Russian Federation, has committed widespread atrocities against the 
        people of Syria, leading to one of the worst humanitarian crises in over 
        70 years, including the deaths of more than 500,000 people, the 
        destruction of more than 50 percent of Syria's critical infrastructure, 
        and the forced displacement of more than 14 million people;
Whereas the Assad regime, with the support of Iran and the Russian Federation, 
        has conducted violent attacks against humanitarian aid workers, 
        supplies, facilities, transports, and assets, and impeded the access and 
        secure movement of humanitarian personnel, and has used chemical weapons 
        against the Syrian people on numerous occasions;
Whereas since the introduction of Russian forces into Syria in September 2015, 
        Russia has deployed over 68,000 Russian personnel to help sustain the 
        Assad regime, and has reportedly transferred the S-300 surface-to-air 
        missile system to Syria, giving Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and other 
        Iranian-backed militias additional cover for their activities in Syria;
Whereas Iran is estimated to have deployed over 3,000 Islamic Revolutionary 
        Guard Corps (IRGC) and regular Iranian military advisers to Syria and 
        approximately 20,000 militia fighters, including 'Asaib ahl al-Haqq, 
        Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Fatimeyoun, and Zainabiyoun, which continue 
        to expand their presence in Syria;
Whereas Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats has stated ``it's unlikely 
        Russia has the will or capability to fully implement and counter Iranian 
        decision and influence'' in Syria;
Whereas Iran's positions in Syria, which Iran has used to launch rockets and 
        drones toward Israel, are critical to Iran's efforts to create a ``land 
        bridge'' from Iran through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon so that it can arm 
        Hezbollah in Lebanon with rockets and missiles, and increase the 
        accuracy of Hezbollah's munitions;
Whereas Iranian-backed militias have demolished civilian areas, implemented 
        sieges, and evicted civilian residents throughout Syria in a campaign of 
        forced displacement, where Iranian-funded reconstruction plans to sell 
        housing developments to foreign militias risk establishing a permanent 
        Iranian presence and obstacle for return of thousands of Syrian families 
        who fled Syria; and
Whereas the Syrian Government has reportedly signed agreements with Iran and 
        IRGC controlled companies with respect to military cooperation: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports a political solution to the conflict which will result 
        in the air space of Syria no longer being utilized by the Assad regime 
        or Russia to target civilians, an end to the sieges carried out by 
        Assad, Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, and other Iranian-backed militias, and 
        the release of all political prisoners;
            (2) opposes international reconstruction funds from supporting 
        projects in Syria in areas controlled by the Assad regime as long as the 
        Assad regime remains in power;
            (3) condemns the Assad regime, the Government of the Russian 
        Federation, the Government of Iran, and Hezbollah and other Iranian-
        backed militias for their continued support of war crimes and crimes 
        against humanity in Syria, including the widespread use of torture, 
        summary executions, prolonged sieges, forced relocations, and 
        indiscriminate targeting of civilians and humanitarian actors;
            (4) recognizes that as long as the Assad regime remains in power, it 
        will continue to oppress the Syrian people, the Russian Federation will 
        continue to expand its influence in the Middle East, and Iran will 
        remain entrenched in Syria;
            (5) calls upon the President and Secretary of State to work towards 
        a sustainable political transition in Syria that results in a government 
        in Syria that is not a danger to its own people, abandons its chemical 
        weapons program, allows for the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of 
        displaced persons, and does not provide Iran with a platform to threaten 
        Syria's neighbors;
            (6) urges the President and the Secretary of State develop a 
        strategy to prevent a permanent Iranian presence in Syria, understanding 
        that the Russia Federation has not proven to be a viable partner to help 
        in this effort;
            (7) urges the Secretary of State to investigate and determine 
        whether the forced displacement of Syrian civilians from their homes 
        through brutal sieges, starvation, and indiscriminate targeting of 
        civilians, and repopulation with foreign fighters constitutes sectarian 
        or ethnic cleansing; and
            (8) calls on the President and Secretary of State to determine 
        whether militias operating in Syria under the command of the Islamic 
        Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, 
        Fatemiyoun, Zainabioun, and 'Asaib ahl al-Haq are terrorist 
        organizations and meet the criteria for sanctions pursuant to Executive 
        Order No. 13460 or 13582.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.