[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 169 (Thursday, November 20, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H11759-H11762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SYRIAN ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEBANESE SOVEREIGNTY RESTORATION ACT OF 2003

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur 
in the Senate amendments to the bill (H.R. 1828) to halt Syrian support 
for terrorism, end its occupation of Lebanon, and stop its development 
of weapons of mass destruction, and by so doing hold Syria accountable 
for the serious international security problems it has caused in the 
Middle East.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate amendments:
     (1)Page 2, strike out lines 8 through 15

     (2)Page 2, line 16 strike out [(2)] and insert: (1)

     (3)Page 2, line 20 strike out [(3)] and insert: (2)

     (4)Page 3, line 3 strike out [(4)] and insert: (3)

     (5)Page 3, line 11 strike out [(5)] and insert: (4)

     (6)Page 3, line 18 strike out [(6)] and insert: (5)

     (7)Page 4, line 1 strike out [(7)] and insert: (6)

     (8)Page 4, line 7 strike out [(8)] and insert: (7)

     (9)Page 4, line 12 strike out [(9)] and insert: (8)

     (10)Page 4, line 16 strike out [(10)] and insert: (9)

     (11)Page 4, line 21 strike out [(11)] and insert: (10)

     (12)Page 5, line 1 strike out [(12)] and insert: (11)

     (13)Page 5, line 6 strike out [(13)] and insert: (12)

     (14)Page 5, line 16 strike out [(14)] and insert: (13)

     (15)Page 5, line 20 strike out [(15)] and insert: (14)

     (16)Page 6, line 3 strike out [(16)] and insert: (15)

     (17)Page 6, line 14 strike out [(17)] and insert: (16)

     (18)Page 6, line 20 strike out [(18)] and insert: (17)

     (19)Page 6, line 23 strike out [(19)] and insert: (18)

     (20)Page 7, line 6 strike out [(20)] and insert: (19)

     (21)Page 7, line 10 strike out [(21)] and insert: (20)

     (22)Page 7, line 23 strike out [(22)] and insert: (21)

     (23)Page 8, line 9 strike out [(23)] and insert: (22)

     (24)Page 8, line 19 strike out [(24)] and insert: (23)

     (25)Page 9, line 3 strike out [(25)] and insert: (24)

     (26)Page 9, line 7 strike out [(26)] and insert: (25)

     (27)Page 9, line 14 strike out [(27)] and insert: (26)

     (28)Page 9, line 18 strike out [(28)] and insert: (27)

     (29)Page 9, strike out lines 21 through 24

     (30)Page 10, line 1 strike out [(30)] and insert: (28)

     (31)Page 10, line 10 strike out [(31)] and insert: (29)

     (32)Page 10, line 18 strike out [(32)] and insert: (30)

     (33)Page 10, line 24 strike out [(33)] and insert: (31)

     (34)Page 11, line 4 strike out [(34)] and insert: (32)

     (35)Page 11, line 9 strike out [(35)] and insert: (33)

     (36)Page 12, line 1 strike out [(36)] and insert: (34)

     (37)Page 15, line 1 strike out [will be held responsible] and 
     insert: should bear responsibility

     (38)Page 15, line 6, strike out all after ``States'' down to 
     and including ``ity'' in line 7 and insert: will work to deny 
     Syria the ability

     (39)Page 15, strike out lines 18 through 20

     (40)Page 15, line 21 strike out [(5)] and insert: (4)

     (41)Page 16, line 1 strike out [(6)] and insert: (5)

     (42)Page 16, line 6 strike out [(7)] and insert: (6)

     (43)Page 16, line 11 strike out [(8)] and insert: (7)

     (44)Page 16, line 15 strike out [(9)] and insert: (8)

     (45)Page 16, line 17, after ``Iraq'' insert: if the 
     Government of Syria is found to be responsible

     (46)Page 16, line 20 strike out [(10)] and insert: (9)

     (47)Page 18, strike lines 15 through 20 and insert:
       (b) Waiver.--The President may waive the application of 
     subsection (a)(1), (a)(2), or both if the President 
     determines that it is in the national security interest of 
     the United States to do so and submits to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report containing the reasons for 
     the determination.

     (48)Page 20, line 6, strike out all after ``has'' down to and 
     including ``Lebanon'' in line 8 and insert: ended its 
     occupation of Lebanon described in section 2(7) of this Act

     (49)Page 21, line 15, strike out all after ``and'' down to 
     and including ``other'' in line 17

     (50)Page 21, line 20, strike out all after ``Hizballah'' down 
     to and including ``al Qaeda'' in line 21 and insert: and 
     other terrorist organizations supported by Syria

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen).


                             General Leave

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend 
their remarks on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, just 2 weeks ago, the Senate amended and overwhelmingly 
passed H.R. 1828, the Syria Accountability and the Lebanese Sovereignty 
Restoration Act.
  The overwhelming support that the House-passed Syria bill received in 
the Senate and in the House clearly demonstrates a unity of purpose and 
an approach to the terrorist regime in Damascus. Even antisanctions 
advocates in the Senate recognize the serious threat that Syria poses 
to U.S. national security and to our interests and allies in the 
region.
  This bill seeks to hold Syria accountable for its weapons program, 
its continued illegal occupation of Lebanon, and its terrorist 
activities, including its facilitation of attacks against Americans in 
Iraq.
  The Syrian Foreign Minister has been quoted as saying that the 
requirements of this bill and of the U.S. in general for Syria to cease 
and desist on these three fronts are ``unreasonable and unrealistic'' 
demands. In fact, the Syrian Foreign Minister believes that ``America 
has too many demands.''
  Meanwhile, just a few days ago, on Tuesday of this week, a French 
news source published an interview with a former member of Saddam 
Hussein's nefarious Secret Service. This former Saddam agent and 
current leader of the militias inside Iraq said that Syria is 
``definitely'' working alongside Iraqi intelligence and other Saddam 
loyalists. He said that there is cooperation between Syria and his 
forces inside Iraq, and that ``It began before the war, through trade, 
which was only a cover.''
  ``Armed Syrians,'' he added, ``even joined our Iraqi militia groups. 
And well before the war, we had forged passports that enabled us to go 
to that country,'' meaning Syria. He added that this coordination 
continues to this day.
  Thus, regardless of how some will spin it, the Syrian regime has the 
blood of Americans on its hands, and they must be held responsible for 
their deaths, as well as those of scores of innocent human beings 
murdered by Syrian-sponsored terrorists.
  Fully implemented, H.R. 1828 would help deny Syria the resources to 
continue its deplorable activities and will help prevent U.S. 
complicity in them. It seeks to do so by prohibiting U.S. exports of 
military, dual-use, and other items, as well as by prohibiting 
investments in key sectors that provide an economic windfall for the 
Syrian economy. We have every faith and confidence in President Bush's 
commitment to use the range of U.S. policy

[[Page H11760]]

options, including the sanctions provided for in H.R. 1828, to hold 
Syria accountable for its unacceptable behavior.
  As the President and the Secretary of State have clearly stated, 
Syria is on the wrong side of history. And now, it is time for it to 
suffer the consequences.
  I ask my colleagues to concur with the Senate amendments to the 
House-passed bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. Mr. 
Speaker, among the many Members who deserve commendation for the bill 
before us, I would like to single out for recognition my friend, the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) who first introduced this bill in 
the 107th Congress; my good friend, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Ros-Lehtinen) for her superb chairmanship of the Subcommittee on the 
Middle East and Central Asia who joined the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Engel), in initiating this bill in the 108th Congress; and my 
friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman), the ranking member 
of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia, who has been a 
tireless fighter for tough-minded U.S. policies towards State sponsors 
of terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, for years, our government has favored Syria over other 
State sponsors of terrorism. We allow more trade with Syria than with 
the others, and we maintain normal diplomatic ties with Syria. This 
legislation, the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty 
Restoration Act of 2003, will end this special treatment, this 
inequity. It will make our Syria policy more like our policies toward 
other State sponsors of terrorism. With this legislation, Syria's 
support for terrorism, as well as Syria's illegal occupation of 
Lebanon, will become the central focus of our bilateral relations, 
rather than just an afterthought.
  Mr. Speaker, Syrian-sponsored terrorism was responsible for the worst 
pre-September 11 terrorist incident in American history: the cold-
blooded murder of 241 of our Marines by a suicide bomber in Lebanon a 
few years ago. Now, Syrian behavior is resulting in more American 
military being killed, this time in Iraq.
  Recently, as my colleagues know, I visited Syria and met with 
President Bashar al-Asad. I warned him that the Syria Accountability 
Act would soon be on its way to passage unless Syria changed its ways. 
My words to him were both a prediction and a pledge. Asad understood me 
perfectly. The Secretary of State, Colin Powell, delivered a very 
similar message to him one week after my visit.
  Yet, Syria's unacceptable and menacing behavior has not changed. 
Palestinian terrorists still populate Damascus. Hezbollah still 
occupies the south of Lebanon, its military arsenal regularly 
replenished, both by arms from Syria and Iran. Lebanon continues to 
remain under Syria's thumb. There are some 17,000 Syrian occupation 
troops in Lebanon, and countless additional thousands of Syrian 
intelligence officers controlling Lebanon. Anti-U.S. incitement 
continues in the Syrian media. Dissident Syrian parliamentarians and 
academicians, who want only freedom, languish in prison. Terrorists and 
Jahadists are allowed to cross the Syrian border into Iraq for the 
purpose of killing our own fighting men and women.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish that this legislation had not been necessary, but 
the Syrian regime has made it so. Despite warning after warning, it has 
refused to heed the dictates of common sense. Now, Syria will pay the 
consequences.
  The door to good relations with the United States has been wide open 
to Syria. Secretary of State Powell, myself, and others beckoned Syria 
to enter, but the Syrian regime has contemptuously slammed the door 
shut. Mr. Speaker, even now, as this legislation makes clear, our 
Nation would welcome good relations with Syria just as soon as the 
Syrian regime conforms to the minimal norms of civilized international 
conduct. Until then, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1828.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 7\1/2\ minutes to 
the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), the originator of this 
legislation.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lantos), who has been supportive every step of the way.
  It has been a long road. Two years ago, when we sat down in my office 
and drafted this bill, we could hardly have dreamed the overwhelming 
support that this bill would have picked up, bipartisan support, I 
might add, in both the House and the Senate. In the previous Congress, 
the 107th Congress, I approached the then majority leader, Mr. Armey, 
about sponsoring this bill with me, and he very graciously agreed to do 
so. Our sponsors in the other body were Senator Santorum and Senator 
Boxer, and they, in the 108th Congress, continued to be the sponsors of 
the bill. In the 108th Congress, I spoke with my good friend and the 
chair of our subcommittee, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen), and she joined with me in sponsoring this bill in the 108th 
Congress, and it has been a pleasure to work with her. I want to also 
thank our chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and all of 
the people who have worked so hard to bring this to fruition.
  This is a very important bill. Syria is prominently listed by the 
U.S. State Department as a nation which supports terror. In 1979, the 
U.S. State Department put forth a list of countries which support 
terrorism and Syria was a charter member of that list. Syria has been 
on that State Department list, unabated, for 24 years, and now, in 
2003, Syria is the only nation currently on that list with which we 
have normal diplomatic relations. It never made any sense to me, it 
still does not, and this bill is an important step in saying to Syria, 
enough is enough. No longer are you going to get away with supporting 
terrorism. No longer are you going to get away with your weapons of 
mass destruction. No longer are you going to get away with your 
occupation and strangulation of the sovereign nation of Lebanon and, 
certainly, no longer will we allow you to get away with allowing 
terrorists to cross over your border into Iraq to do harm to U.S. 
troops, and weapons crossing over from Syria to Iraq to kill U.S. 
troops.

                              {time}  1615

  Numerous terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the 
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, maintain offices or training camps in Syria 
or areas of Syrian-occupied Lebanon with impunity under Syrian control 
and guidance.
  Syria is in clear violation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1373, 
which directs all states to refrain from providing any form of support 
for terrorists. Indeed, even after Secretary of State Powell's meeting 
with President Assad earlier this year, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other 
terrorist groups still remain active in Damascus and all over Syria and 
Lebanon.
  Hezbollah is the group which killed more than 200 U.S. Marines in 
Beirut 20 years ago. Hezbollah continues to attack and wreak havoc in 
Israel's northern border. Hezbollah continues to kill American 
citizens. And yet Syria continues to play these duplicitous games. As 
General Aoun, the former leader of Lebanon, said, Syria plays a game 
where she is both the arsonist and the fireman. She starts the fire and 
then helps to put it out and expects accolades. Syria can no longer 
throw us crumbs and support terrorism at the same time and expect our 
accolades. She does not deserve it.
  I think it is also interesting to note, Mr. Speaker, that several 
days ago the bombings in Turkey and Istanbul, and there were other 
horrible bombings this morning, but the bombing of the two synagogues 
in Istanbul the other day were carried out by two cousins. And the 
mastermind of the bombings, a brother of one of the cousins, fled to 
Syria after the bombings.
  Syria, of course, is safe haven for terrorists around the world. Now, 
not only does Syria undermine regional stability by harboring terrorist 
groups, its 20,000-strong occupation force has denied Lebanon its 
internationally guaranteed sovereignty and political independence. As 
called for in U.N. Security Council Resolution 520, it is time that 
Lebanon is run by the Lebanese, not by the Assad regime in Damascus.
  I cannot tell you how many Lebanese Americans have called me and 
called my office and commended us for this

[[Page H11761]]

bill because people of Lebanese descent in this country are tired of 
seeing the stranglehold on Lebanon by Syria.
  I am also concerned about Syrian efforts to field chemical and 
biological weapons in its development of long-range ballistic missiles. 
Considering the close ties Syria maintains with terrorist 
organizations, Syrian weapons of mass destruction programs are of grave 
concern. At a recent hearing of our Middle East subcommittee, the State 
Department confirmed that Syria is continuing to permit volunteers and 
others to enter Iraq from Syria to attack and kill Americans. This is 
totally unacceptable.
  The broad spectrum of organizations which supports H.R. 1828 
recognizes Syria as a major destabilizing factor in the region and see 
this bill as an essential tool to send a clear message to the Assad 
regime. The bill has 297 bipartisan cosponsors in the House and 76 in 
the Senate, a majority in both Houses in both parties.
  The legislation imposes a variety of penalties upon Syria until it 
ends its support of terrorism, withdraws its armed forces from Lebanon, 
halts development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic 
missiles, and stops facilitating terrorism in Iraq and stops allowing 
people to cross the border to do harm to U.S. troops.
  This act is a measured and flexible approach to deal with the 
challenge emanating from Syria. It clearly states that we will not 
accept Syria's support of terrorism and we call for a free and 
sovereign Lebanon. This is the right step in America's Middle East 
policy.
  And, finally, I want to say the national security waiver authority in 
this bill, which was put in by the Senate, is to be taken very 
seriously by the President; and its provisions are not to be waived 
except in instances truly affecting the national security interest of 
the United States.
  Let me just say, as Syria is still supporting terrorism, occupying 
Lebanon, procuring weapons of mass destruction, and permitting 
guerillas to enter Iraq to attack and kill our troops, I want to say to 
the White House that any waiver would have to outweigh those most 
dangerous transgressions.
  I find it very hard to imagine what factor would be more important to 
the national security of the U.S. than those matters. The 
administration should be aware that any waiver will be given the 
strictest scrutiny by Congress. And I would hope that the President in 
signing this bill would understand that the full implementation of this 
bill ought to be put into effect right away.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone), my good friend and distinguished colleague.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an original cosponsor of 
H.R. 1828, the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty 
Restoration Act. I urge all my colleagues to continue their support for 
this important legislation. The United States must show Syria that 
there are consequences for supporting terrorism and undermining peace 
in the region.
  H.R. 1828 holds Syria accountable for its continued support of 
terrorism, occupation of Lebanon, and possession and development of 
weapons of mass destruction. It gives the President the tools he needs 
to impose penalties on Syria unless Syria corrects its behavior 
immediately.
  Syria is listed on the State Department's list of countries who 
harbor and support terrorism. Syria has proven to be a destabilizing 
force in the Middle East, continuing to develop and stockpile chemical 
weapons and the missiles to deliver them and remaining the occupying 
power in Lebanon. Syria offered support to Iraq even as U.S. and 
coalition forces were engaged in combat and has turned a blind eye to 
militants who slip across their borders into Iraq to kill American 
soldiers.
  Mr. Speaker, yet Syria is subject to fewer U.S. sanctions than any 
other country considered a state sponsor of terrorism.
  I would like to take this opportunity to commend my colleagues, the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) and also the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), for introducing this legislation. I just 
want to urge my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to fully support and 
pass this bill as amended in the Senate.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Emanuel).
  Mr. EMANUEL. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of the Syrian Accountability 
Act, I am proud to rise in strong support of this legislation. It is a 
remedy for the absence of a consistent, clear, and strong policy 
towards Syria today. And while we pass this bill today, we are sending 
a strong signal by passing this bill that Syria will be treated like 
other state sponsors of terrorist organizations.
  Today, over in Iraq the Iraqi council, with the American 
administration support, buys electricity in a swap deal for energy and 
oil, inconsistent with both the principles and the values embedded in 
this policy. On the northern border of Iraq, we have opened up in 
dialogue with Syria a free trade zone, again inconsistent especially 
with the policy of this act and the values and the principles embedded 
here.
  It is my hope here we not only send a signal to Syria when it comes 
to being a state sponsor of terrorism but to the administration that we 
must have a consistent policy, not one that says as a state sponsor of 
terrorism that you have penalties but on the other side we will 
continue to do trade as it relates to electricity, continue to do trade 
as it relates to opening up a trade zone between Iraq and Syria. If we 
want to buy electricity, there are sources like Turkey, Jordan, 
countries that are partners with America.
  So it is my hope that we support this bill which is a good first step 
to sending a signal to Syria that its days of sponsoring terrorism are 
coming to an end and that the administration should announce a policy 
that sends a strong, consistent, unambiguous signal we will not do 
business with states that sponsor terrorism.
  Once again, I want to associate myself with my colleagues who have 
worked so hard on this and for their great work. Again, it crosses both 
parties because it represents the values of all of those in the House 
and other democratic nations in the fight against terrorism.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to take a moment to express my 
appreciation to those without whom this day would not have been 
possible. Of course, first and foremost, the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Engel), with whom it has been a pleasure to work for passage of 
this bill, the second time we pass it in just a few short weeks. Our 
impressive leadership here in the House, very particularly our majority 
leader whose unwavering commitment to U.S. national security and, thus, 
to this bill, were instrumental in moving this legislation. So thank 
you to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), my distinguished chairman, 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) for his support and his 
assistance throughout this process, the ranking member of the Committee 
on International Relations, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) 
who is always an inspiration to us all, to Tony Haddad and the Lebanese 
American community whose passion on these issues have served as a 
source of energy for us all.
  And I would also like to pay special thanks to Yleem Poblete, 
committee staff director of our Subcommittee on the Middle East and 
Central Asia. This will be the last piece of legislation that she will 
be handling for our subcommittee because she is awaiting White House 
approval in a State Department job working with Secretary John Bolton. 
And I thank Yleem for being a valuable member of my family, my 
legislative family for many, many years. I remember when Yleem and I 
first met and she was Miss Teen Florida. That was not so long ago. But 
she has been a wonderful friend and a part of my family for a long 
time. And we wish her God speed and much success.
  And I would also like to ask my colleagues to reflect on the 
suffering of the Syrian and Lebanese people today and on the lives and 
the sacrifice of American, Israeli, and so many other victims of 
terrorist attacks supported by or facilitated by the Syrian regime. 
This bill is also for them. We look forward to working closely with 
President

[[Page H11762]]

Bush toward expeditious enactment and implementation of this bill.
  Time has clearly run out for the Syrian regime. It had a choice to 
make, and it chose terrorism. That was the wrong choice. We have a 
choice to make. We have demonstrated it by our overwhelming vote in 
support of this bill, what our will is with respect to Syria's regime. 
Let us again send a strong, unequivocal message to this pariah state 
and concur in the Senate amendment to the Syria Accountability and 
Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to again personally thank her for 
being my partner in this bill. This whole Congress, it could not have 
been done without her. And it was a pleasure to work with her. I want 
to state that for the record.
  I also want to thank the gentleman who is to my left who is my chief 
of staff, Jason Steinbaum. When I say that we wrote the bill in my 
office, he is the man who did all the writing. And I want to 
acknowledge his role and his work and thank him. It is very difficult 
when you have a concept and then you want to put the concept into 
writing and then you want to pass it through all the channels that it 
needs to be passed through. But as you mentioned, our staffs do a 
magnificent job. We could not do what we do if it were not for the good 
work of our staff.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, we look forward to working on the 
Saudi Arabia Accountability Act and the Iran Accountability Act. We 
have only just begun.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, a little over a month ago, this Act came 
before the House and I voted for it.
  I believe that Syria's occupation of Lebanon and questionable 
policies toward terrorist groups are reprehensible. I also believe it 
is important for the Syrian government to realize that Americans of 
every political stripe (including those who, like me, opposed the U.S. 
invasion of Iraq) are aware of and disapprove of many of Syria's 
actions.
  I believe it is entirely appropriate for the United States to apply 
political and economic pressure on Syria to change its policies. 
However, I have decided to vote against the Syria Accountability Act 
tonight.
  I am concerned about the increasing bellicose statements we have been 
hearing from London. I am concerned that our President may be setting 
the stage for the imposition of his vision of democracy in more and 
more places, and that he may use the many findings, senses of Congress, 
and statements of policy in this Act to promote actions that are 
contrary to the best interests of the United States.
  This act is filled with nonbinding provisions that build a case 
against Syria, based on soft intelligence and reasonable, but 
undocumented, assumptions.
  Ultimately, I fear that those provisions could be used to build a 
case for a military intervention against Syria.
  For example, the bill before us contains language that speaks of 
``hostile actions'' by Syria against U.S.-led forces in Iraq as though 
this is something we firmly know to be true. It is certainly possible 
that it is true. Yet there is no conclusive evidence as to the role of 
the Government of Syria in the attacks that have been carried out 
against our troops in Iraq. It is just this kind of poorly sourced 
insinuation that I fear might be used to build the case for a 
preemptive invasion of Syria.
  It is unfortunate that the dangerous doctrine of preemption to which 
President Bush so obdurately subscribes makes members like me, who are 
truly concerned about wrongdoing by Syria, fearful of supplying the 
Administration with language like this to wield.
  I remember that similar language regarding Iraq was misused by the 
Administration. We meant to express concerns and admonish the Iraqi 
government, but our words ended up being used as evidence for military 
action.
  The standard of proof for a House expression of concern is and should 
be lower than the standard of proof for an invasion--but I don't think 
any of us can count on the Bush Administration to draw that 
distinction. Therefore, I must vote ``no.''
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Culberson). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that 
the House suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendments to the 
bill, H.R. 1828.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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