[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 462 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 462

  Emphasizing the urgency of responding to attacks in Israel and the 
 greater region from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

            November 14 (legislative day, November 13), 2023

Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Britt, Mr. 
   Thune, Ms. Collins, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Manchin, and Mrs. Gillibrand) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Emphasizing the urgency of responding to attacks in Israel and the 
 greater region from the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies, and 
                          for other purposes.

Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard 
        Corps (IRGC), has provided financing, training, and other forms of 
        support to Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad 
        (PIJ), and other proxies;
Whereas the current leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has publicly confirmed and 
        lauded the support the group receives from the Islamic Republic of Iran, 
        stating ``I give thanks to those who provided funds and weaponry to the 
        courageous resistance, the Islamic Republic of Iran, [which] has not 
        skimped in extending funds, weaponry, and technology to the 
        resistance'';
Whereas, on October 8, 1997, the Secretary of State designated Hamas and 
        Hezbollah foreign terrorist organizations in accordance with section 219 
        of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189);
Whereas, on September 20, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated 
        that ``we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia'' 
        and Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman 
        stated that ``[e]very day we get closer'' to normalizing relations with 
        Israel;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, in part to derail the normalization process, Hamas 
        launched an unprovoked attack against the State of Israel, brutally 
        murdering over 1,200 innocent men, women, and children, while injuring 
        thousands more;
Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas committed war crimes by taking hundreds of 
        innocent civilians hostage, including babies, children, women, elderly, 
        and Holocaust survivors, and has proceeded to place innocent civilians 
        around key locations as human shields;
Whereas, on October 8, 2023, Israel officially declared war on Hamas;
Whereas, on October 10, 2023, the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group 
        arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to deter additional actors, 
        including the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, the 
        IRGC, and other proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran from escalating 
        tensions in the region;
Whereas, on October 14, 2023, the Department of Defense announced the USS Dwight 
        D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group would be repositioned to join the USS 
        Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea;
Whereas, on October 19, 2023, the USS Carney intercepted missiles and drones 
        that were launched by Iranian-backed Houthi militias towards Israel;
Whereas, on October 25, 2023, it was reported that in the weeks leading up to 
        Hamas' attack on Israel, roughly 500 Hamas and PIJ militants received 
        specialized combat training in the Islamic Republic of Iran from 
        officers of the Quds Force, the foreign-operations arm of the IRGC;
Whereas United States troops and personnel stationed in Iraq and Syria have come 
        under rocket and drone attack numerous times since October 7, 2023, 
        resulting in the injury of over 50 servicemembers;
Whereas, on October 26, 2023, in response to attacks against United States 
        troops and personnel in Iraq and Syria, the President of the United 
        States authorized precision strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria 
        used by the IRGC and affiliated groups;
Whereas, on November 9, 2023, the President of the United States authorized a 
        precision strike on an IRGC weapons storage site in Syria to clearly 
        communicate that there should be no escalation of hostilities in the 
        region and that the President has no higher priority than the safety of 
        United States troops and personnel;
Whereas, on November 12, 2023, the United States conducted precision strikes 
        against a training facility and a safe house in eastern Syria used by 
        the IRGC and affiliated groups;
Whereas Hezbollah reportedly has at least 150,000 missiles, some of which are 
        precision-guided, that could be launched at Israel without warning, 
        overwhelm the Iron Dome air defense system, and greatly expand the 
        conflict;
Whereas Hamas, through its actions, has proven its goal is to destroy Israel, 
        eradicate the Jewish population, undermine peace and normalization 
        efforts in the region, cause severe economic decline and political 
        unrest in the region, and curtail future investments that would allow 
        Israel and other Middle Eastern states to grow and prosper; and
Whereas the Biden Administration must continue to clearly communicate to the 
        Islamic Republic of Iran, including the IRGC, that further attacks on 
        Israel, the United States, or partners and allies by the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, or other proxies 
        of the Islamic Republic of Iran are unacceptable: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the President's efforts to deter the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, 
        and other proxies from expanding the ongoing conflict, and 
        recognizes deterrence is most credible when the President keeps 
        all options on the table, including the use of military force 
        in accordance with constitutional processes;
            (2) recognizes Israel's right to self-defense and its 
        operations to ensure Hamas can never again terrorize innocent 
        Israelis and Palestinians;
            (3) encourages the President to work to secure the safe 
        release and return of all hostages held by Hamas;
            (4) commends the President's decision to position military 
        and diplomatic assets in the region to deter escalation of the 
        conflict by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, 
        Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, and other proxies of the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran in Iraq or Syria;
            (5) recognizes that all responsible nations agree that 
        Hamas is a terrorist organization that must be fought, 
        dismantled and prevented from having the capacity to further 
        terrorize Israel and the region; and
            (6) urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the 
        support of the United States, to continue diplomatic 
        negotiations to normalize relations and establish lasting 
        peace, prosperity, and stability in the Middle East.
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