[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 25, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H10776-H10778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           OPPOSING ASSASSINATION OF LEBANESE PUBLIC FIGURES

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 548) expressing the ongoing concern of the 
House of Representatives for Lebanon's democratic institutions and 
unwavering support for the administration of justice upon those 
responsible for the assassination of Lebanese public figures opposing 
Syrian control of Lebanon, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 548

       Whereas on February 14, 2005, former Lebanese Prime 
     Minister Rafik Hariri, along with 22 other people, was 
     assassinated by a massive bomb;
       Whereas Lebanon's Cedar Revolution led to the withdrawal of 
     Syrian troops from Lebanon in April 2005, following 30 years 
     of Syrian military occupation;
       Whereas parliamentary elections were held in Lebanon in May 
     and June of 2005 leading to the formation of a government 
     under Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, with a majority of the 
     parliament and cabinet committed to strengthening Lebanon's 
     independence and the sovereignty of its democratic 
     institutions of government;
       Whereas Lebanese independence and sovereignty are still 
     threatened by an ongoing campaign of assassination and 
     attempted assassinations of Lebanese political and public 
     figures opposed to Syrian interference in Lebanon's internal 
     affairs, and terrorist bombings intended to incite ethnic and 
     religious hatred, the continuing presence of state-sponsored 
     militias and foreign terrorist groups, and the ongoing and 
     illegal trans-shipment of weapons and munitions from Iran and 
     Syria into Lebanon;
       Whereas the democratically-elected and legitimate 
     government of Lebanon, in accordance with the mandate of 
     United Nations Security Council resolutions and the relevant 
     provisions of the Taif Accords, has made efforts, through the 
     internal deployments of the Lebanese Armed Forces, to 
     exercise its full sovereignty, so that there will be no 
     weapon or authority within Lebanon other than that of the 
     Government of Lebanon;
       Whereas the Lebanese Council of Ministers, on November 25, 
     2006, approved a statute for the establishment of a tribunal 
     of an international character according to the terms 
     negotiated between the Government of Lebanon and the United 
     Nations in order to bring to justice all those responsible 
     for the terrorist bombing of February 14, 2005;
       Whereas a majority of Lebanese members of parliament sought 
     a vote in favor of ratifying the statute establishing a 
     tribunal of an international character, and 70 of Lebanon's 
     then 127 parliamentarians sent a memorandum to the United 
     Nations Secretary-General endorsing the establishment under 
     the United Nations Charter of a Special Tribunal to bring to 
     justice all those responsible for the terrorist bombing of 
     February 14, 2005;
       Whereas the Lebanese parliament is scheduled to convene on 
     September 25, 2007, to begin the process of electing the next 
     President of Lebanon;
       Whereas Hezbollah, a United States Department of State-
     designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, and their pro-
     Syrian allies have declared the democratically-elected and 
     legitimate Government of Lebanon ``unconstitutional'', and 
     are seeking to topple the government through extra-legal 
     means, including rioting, continuous street demonstrations 
     outside of the Council of Ministers, and obstructing traffic 
     in Beirut;
       Whereas the transfer of weapons, ammunition, and fighters 
     into Lebanon in contravention of United Nations Security 
     Council Resolution 1701 (2006), has twice prompted the 
     Security Council to issue statements, on April 17, 2007, (S/
     PRST/2007/12) and on June 11, 2007, (S/PRST/2007/17) wherein 
     it expressed deep and serious concern at mounting information 
     by Israel and other states of illegal movements of arms into 
     Lebanon, and in particular across the Lebanese-Syrian border, 
     in violation of Security Council Resolution 1701;
       Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full 
     support of the United States, has repeatedly adopted 
     resolutions, notably, Resolutions 425 (1978), 520 (1982), 
     1559 (2004), 1655 (2006), 1664 (2006), 1680 (2006), 1701 
     (2006), and 1757 (2007) that, among other things, express the 
     support of the international community for the sovereignty, 
     territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of 
     Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the 
     Government of Lebanon, and demand the disarmament of all 
     armed groups in Lebanon;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolutions, 
     notably, 1595 (2005), 1636 (2005), 1644, (2005), 1664 (2006), 
     1748 (2007), and 1757 (2007), underscore the importance of 
     the pursuit of justice in response to the terrorist bombing 
     of February 14, 2005, and if appropriate, other 
     assassinations and assassination attempts since October 2004;
       Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full 
     support of the United States, has sought to assist the 
     Government of Lebanon in extending its authority over all 
     Lebanese territory, including its sea, land, and air borders, 
     through the presence of the United Nations Interim Force in 
     Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon and through technical 
     and personnel assistance;
       Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full 
     support of the United States, has strongly supported the 
     demand of the Lebanese people that justice be done to those 
     responsible for the terrorist attack of February 14, 2005, 
     and other terrorist attacks and attempted assassinations 
     since October 2004, establishing and extending the mandate of 
     the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) 
     to investigate terrorist bombings of February 14, 2005, and 
     moving toward the creation of a Special Tribunal of an 
     international character, according to United Nations Security 
     Council Resolutions 1595 (2005), 1636 (2005), 1644 (2005), 
     1664 (2006), 1686 (2006) and 1748 (2007);
       Whereas Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in a letter of 
     May 14, 2007, informed the Secretary General of the United 
     Nations that, ``the Lebanese Government believes that the 
     time has come for the Security Council to help make the 
     Special Tribunal for Lebanon a reality. We therefore ask you, 
     as a matter of urgency, to put before the Security Council 
     our request that the Special Tribunal be put into effect. A 
     binding decision regarding the Tribunal on the part of the 
     Security Council will be fully consistent with the importance 
     the United Nations has attached to this matter from the 
     outset, when the investigation commission was established. 
     Further delays in setting up the Tribunal would be most 
     detrimental to Lebanon's stability, to the cause of justice, 
     to the credibility of the United Nations itself and to peace 
     and security in the region.'';

[[Page H10777]]

       Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full 
     support of the United States, adopted Resolution 1757, 
     establishing on June 10, 2007, a Special Tribunal to try all 
     those found responsible for the terrorist bombing of February 
     14, 2005, and if appropriate, both prior and subsequent 
     attacks in Lebanon, unless the Government of Lebanon has 
     provided notice that such a tribunal has been established 
     under its own laws;
       Whereas the United States Congress has appropriated 
     emergency economic and military assistance to Lebanon at 
     levels far greater than the amounts of bilateral assistance 
     provided in recent fiscal years; and
       Whereas it is manifestly in the interests of the United 
     States and the international community to support the full 
     sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon, its 
     democratically-elected and legitimate government, and to 
     insist that justice be done concerning the terrorist bombing 
     of February 14, 2005, and both prior and subsequent 
     politically-inspired assassinations and assassination 
     attempts: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns the attempts by Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian 
     groups to undermine and intimidate the democratically-elected 
     and legitimate Government of Lebanon by extra-legal means;
       (2) condemns the campaign of attempted and successful 
     assassinations targeting members of parliament and public 
     figures in favor of Lebanese independence and sovereignty and 
     opposed to Syrian interference in Lebanon, and bombings in 
     civilian areas intended to intimidate the Lebanese people;
       (3) calls on the Lebanese parliament to elect a new 
     President in accordance with the processes and timetable 
     established by Lebanon's constitution;
       (4) declares that the association of political parties with 
     terrorist organizations, militias, and other elements 
     retaining armed operational capabilities outside of the 
     official military and security institutions of the Government 
     of Lebanon hinders the emergence of a fully-democratic 
     Lebanon;
       (5) confirms the strong support of the United States for 
     United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning 
     Lebanon, and the clear and binding mandate of the 
     international community for the arms embargo and disarmament 
     of all armed groups in Lebanon, and particularly, Hezbollah 
     and Palestinian factions in Lebanon;
       (6) condemns Syria and Iran for their ongoing roles in 
     providing arms to terrorist organizations, Lebanese militias, 
     and other militias operating in Lebanon, in blatant 
     contravention of United Nations Security Council Resolution 
     1701;
       (7) declares that the United States should consider Syria's 
     obstructive role in Lebanon when assessing the status and 
     nature of United States bilateral relations with Syria;
       (8) expresses its strong appreciation to Belgium, China, 
     Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, 
     Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, the 
     Republic of Korea, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, 
     Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, 
     Sweden, Tanzania, and Turkey for their contributions of 
     military personnel to serve in the United Nations Interim 
     Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), now manned with 13,251 troops of 
     the 15,000 troops authorized in United Nations Security 
     Council Resolution 1701;
       (9) urges the Government of Lebanon to request UNIFIL's 
     assistance to secure the Lebanese-Syrian border against the 
     entry of illicit arms or related material under paragraphs 
     11(f) and 14 of United Nations Security Council Resolution 
     1701, and pledges earnest American support for this action, 
     should the Government of Lebanon choose to do so;
       (10) calls on the international community to further 
     support the mission of UNIFIL and efforts by the United 
     Nations Secretary-General to improve the monitoring of the 
     Lebanese border in order to effectively implement the arms 
     embargo on armed groups in Lebanon required by United Nations 
     Security Council Resolution 1701;
       (11) affirms strongly United States support for efforts to 
     bring to justice those responsible for the terrorist bombing 
     of February 14, 2005, and both prior and subsequent 
     politically inspired assassinations, and for the Special 
     Tribunal for Lebanon established by the United Nations 
     Security Council Resolution 1757;
       (12) endorses prompt action by the Special Tribunal for 
     Lebanon for the terrorist bombing of February 14, 2005, and 
     both prior and subsequent politically-inspired 
     assassinations, under Chapter VII of the United Nations 
     Charter;
       (13) pledges continued support for the democratically-
     elected and legitimate Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese 
     people against the campaign of intimidation, terror, and 
     murder directed at the Lebanese people and at political and 
     public figures opposing Syrian interference in Lebanon;
       (14) commends the many Lebanese who continue to adhere 
     steadfastly to the principles of the Cedar Revolution and 
     support the democratically-elected and legitimate Government 
     of Lebanon;
       (15) applauds the Government of Lebanon's efforts to fully 
     extend Lebanon's sovereignty over the entire country through 
     the internal deployments of the Lebanese Armed Forces, 
     including direct action against the Fatah al Islam group, and 
     encourages the Government of Lebanon to intensify these 
     efforts; and
       (16) re-affirms its intention to continue to provide 
     financial and material assistance to support the sovereignty, 
     territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of 
     Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the 
     Government of Lebanon.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution and 
yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, what has been happening in Lebanon is extreme aggression 
in the classic sense of the word. Through a campaign of assassinations 
targeting Lebanese parliamentarians and political figures; bombings in 
public places; threats to establish an alternative extra-constitutional 
government; and the instigation of a jihadi insurgency by the Fatah al-
Islam, Syria, Iran, their bootlegging proxies, Hezbollah, Amal, and 
Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, have brought Lebanon's government to a 
constitutional crisis. Yet again, outside actors have pushed Lebanon to 
the brink of civil war for their selfish interests.
  Just 6 days ago, on September 19, a massive car bomb killed Antoine 
Ghanem along with five other civilians, and left many dozens of other 
bystanders wounded. Mr. Ghanem, a member of the Lebanese Parliament and 
a supporter of the Siniora government, was just the latest in a string 
of 11 political assassinations over the past 3 years. As a consequence 
of this pattern of violence, the March 14 alliance is two 
parliamentarians away from being murdered out of their majority.
  Now is the time for this Congress to send a strong message of support 
for the democratically elected and fully legitimate government in 
Lebanon. Time, Mr. Speaker, is short.
  The Syrian-backed campaign for murder is creeping ever closer to its 
goal of destroying the majority of the Lebanese Parliament, bringing 
down the government of Fuad Siniora, and imposing again a pro-Syrian 
president on Lebanon.
  Fearing just this scenario months ago, I introduced H. Res. 548 with 
the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Pence, with Chairman Lantos 
and Representatives Issa and Boustany, two Members whose roots extend 
back to Lebanon. This bipartisan resolution expresses the strong 
support of the House of Representatives for Lebanon's elected 
government, and affirms our readiness to make that support tangible in 
order to help preserve and strengthen Lebanese sovereignty and 
independence.
  The resolution condemns Syria and Iran for providing arms to Lebanese 
militias, particularly the terrorist group Hezbollah, and the 
Palestinian factions in Lebanon, in clear contravention of Security 
Council resolutions.
  H. Res. 548 also endorses prompt action by the Special Tribunal for 
Lebanon established by the Security Council to investigate the 
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 
February 2005. Syria must know with utter certainty that the United 
States will never sacrifice justice in Lebanon to allow Damascus to 
escape accountability for its crimes.
  The current Lebanese Government, which is under siege, is both 
legitimate and representative of the majority of Lebanese. The attempts 
to undermine it are not some kind of retaliation. Lebanon's government 
is being systemically attacked only because it is unwilling to 
subordinate its authority and Lebanon's sovereignty to external and 
extra-legal demands.
  Quite simply, Lebanon is being bullied. And in light of this fact, 
the United States and the entire international community must come to 
its aid.
  I would urge all of our colleagues to support the resolution.

[[Page H10778]]

  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 548. I would like 
to thank the gentleman from New York, my good friend, Mr. Ackerman, for 
introducing this important resolution, and for Chairman Lantos of our 
Foreign Affairs Committee for bringing it before the floor today.
  With the execution last Wednesday of an anti-Syrian Lebanese 
parliamentarian in a Christian suburb of Beirut, and the announcement 
today that the Lebanese Parliament will delay until next month the 
election of a new Lebanese president due to a Hezbollah-led opposition 
boycott, both Syria and Iran are now one step closer to their strategic 
goal of once again dominating Lebanon.
  Four anti-Syrian parliamentarians are all that stand in the way of 
the detestable efforts of pro-Syrian forces within Lebanon to impose 
their presidential candidate on all of Lebanon and deny Lebanon its 
true sovereignty. They will undoubtedly use the time afforded by the 
delay in the presidential election to effectively finish the job they 
started in the wake of the coalition's March 14 electoral victory.
  And what is the goal of these pro-Syrian forces? To gain a 
parliamentary majority through assassination and terror. Led by 
Hezbollah, the pro-Syrian parliamentary bloc has repeatedly demanded 
that a compromise candidate who will bring national unity be elected to 
the presidency next month. However, Mr. Speaker, just the opposite is 
true. A compromise and a unity candidate can only serve to bring about 
the election of yet another Syrian and Iranian puppet to the 
presidency. Like the outgoing so-called president, such a leader will 
work to prevent Lebanon from extricating itself from Iranian and Syrian 
influence and total control.
  Furthermore, the inclusion of pro-Syrian and Iranian elements in the 
Lebanese Government renders the government, regardless of the 
individual desires of the members, and indeed the entire electoral 
process, an effective tool of Syria and Iran. Some had hoped that 
Hezbollah's entry into Lebanese politics would signal its integration 
into Lebanese society and force its leaders to dismantle Hezbollah's 
military and terrorist infrastructure. Sadly, the opposite has 
occurred. Allowing an Islamic terrorist entity to use the political 
process and legitimatize itself without first demanding that it stop 
its objectionable behavior only serve to perpetuate and enhance the 
threat.
  Last October, Iran and Syria changed their calculations as to how to 
best use Hezbollah to advance their interests and undermine the 
sovereignty of Lebanon. They instructed Hezbollah to withdraw from the 
government.
  Since then, Hezbollah, joined by other Syrian and Iranian proxies, 
has worked steadily to overthrow the government by politically 
paralyzing it in parliament and assassinating its supporters. At the 
same time, they have reportedly provided massive amounts of arms, 
training, and financial support to Hezbollah as it rebuilds from the 
conflict with Israel last summer.
  Additionally, reports that the Lebanese Army has enabled Hezbollah to 
reassert its control over southern Lebanon continues to gravely concern 
us.
  Mr. Speaker, simply put, we cannot afford to continue to pursue a 
policy toward Lebanon based on willful negligence. We must accept that 
a moderate government will only materialize after the Syrian and 
Iranian proxies in Lebanon are defeated and dismantled. This resolution 
represents a step in the correct direction by voicing its unequivocal 
support for a true democratic government, and all those within Lebanon 
who have struggled against Syrian and Iranian control over their 
homeland for far too long truly deserve our support. I strongly urge my 
colleagues to support Mr. Ackerman's resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in strong support of 
House Resolution 548. This resolution expresses support for Lebanon's 
democratic institutions and the need to bring those responsible for the 
assassination of Lebanese public figures to justice.
  Lebanon is a key ally of the United States and deserves our 
unwavering support as they continue to recover from last year's war.
  Lebanon is a diverse country with over 17 religious groups, 
nevertheless, there is a strong sense of national unity within this 
country and its citizens often identify themselves as Lebanese before 
identifying with their own religious factions.
  Lebanon is the example of what a democracy can and should be in the 
Middle East and I encourage all party leaders in the parliament to 
remain committed to finding a compromise presidential candidate. It is 
important that the process is followed and that a unified government 
remains in place.
  Political assassinations over the past several years have continued 
to plague Lebanon and have derailed the country's efforts to enact real 
reform measures. The individuals responsible for these murders must be 
brought to justice.
  Lebanon is at a crossroad and the United States must remain committed 
to helping this nascent democracy.
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 
548, a resolution expressing the continued concern that we as a 
Congress and as a Nation have for the Lebanese people and their 
government.
  The Cedar Revolution in 2005 led to the withdrawal of Syrian forces 
that had occupied Lebanon for more than three decades. After the 
withdrawal, the government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora committed to 
creating a strong, democratic Lebanon, free of occupation or outside 
influence. Lebanon is fighting many enemies of freedom, both within and 
outside the country.
  We have all seen the horrific news reports of the assassinations and 
attempted assassinations of anti-Syrian lawmakers in Lebanon, the most 
recent occurring just last week. The brave men and women who are 
struggling to move Lebanon forward have become targets in their own 
country. Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian factions in Lebanon know that 
they are in the minority, and have begun a desperation campaign to kill 
as many of their opponents as possible. Members of the Parliament have 
had to go into hiding outside of Lebanon, and lay their lives on the 
line when they return to conduct government business.
  As Lebanon prepares for presidential elections this November, I 
believe it is vital that we reiterate our support for Lebanon and her 
people. H. Res. 548 reaffirms our support of the many United Nations 
resolutions that condemn Syria and Iran for their continued roles in 
arming the enemies of a free Lebanon, and expresses our appreciation to 
the many countries that have contributed funding and personnel to the 
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFL). Our Lebanese friends 
must know that we stand beside them as they continue to strengthen 
their government and bring to justice those responsible for the 
killings.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this important resolution.

                              {time}  1215

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire if the 
distinguished ranking member has any additional speakers.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I have no additional speakers, and I'd like to 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blumenauer). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 548, as 
amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ACKERMAN. 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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