[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3048-S3049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PRESIDENTIAL REPORT TO CONGRESS

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate move 
to calendar No. 385.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2224) to require the President to report to 
     Congress on issues relating to Syria.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Corker-Webb 
substitute amendment be agreed to, that the bill, as amended, be read a 
third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, 
and that any statements relating to this matter be placed in the Record 
at the appropriate place as if read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2098) was agreed to, as follows:


                           amendment no. 2098

                (Purpose: In the nature of a substitute)

       Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
     following:

     SECTION 1. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

       (a) Report on Opposition Groups.--

[[Page S3049]]

       (1) In general.--Not later than 15 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to 
     Congress a report describing in detail all the known 
     opposition groups, both independent and state-sponsored, 
     inside and outside of Syria, operating directly or indirectly 
     to oppose the Government of Syria.
       (2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following elements:
       (A) An assessment of the current military capacity of 
     opposition forces.
       (B) An assessment of the ability of opposition forces 
     inside and outside of Syria to establish military and 
     political activities impacting Syria, together with a 
     practicable timetable for accomplishing these objectives.
       (C) An assessment of the ability of any of the opposition 
     groups to establish effective military and political control 
     in Syria.
       (D) A description of the composition and political agenda 
     of each of the known opposition groups inside and outside of 
     Syria, and an assessment of the degree to which such groups 
     represent the views of the people of Syria as a whole.
       (E) A description of the financial resources currently 
     available to opposition groups and known potential sources of 
     continued financing.
       (F) An assessment of the relationship between each of the 
     Syrian opposition groups and the Muslim Brotherhood, al 
     Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and any other groups that have 
     promoted an agenda that would negatively impact United States 
     national interests.
       (G) An assessment of whether active support from the United 
     States to opposition forces would have a positive or negative 
     impact on the factors discussed in subparagraphs (A) through 
     (F).
       (b) Report on Weapons Stockpiles.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to 
     Congress an assessment of the size and security of 
     conventional and non-conventional weapons stockpiles in 
     Syria.
       (2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following elements:
       (A) A description of who has or may have access to the 
     stockpiles.
       (B) A description of the sources and types of weapons 
     flowing from outside Syria to both government and opposition 
     forces.
       (C) A detailed plan to prevent the proliferation of 
     conventional, biological, chemical, and other types of 
     weapons in Syria.
       (c) Report on Current Activities and Future Plans to 
     Provide Assistance to Syria's Political Opposition.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to 
     Congress a report on all the support provided to opposition 
     political forces in Syria.
       (2) Content.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following elements:
       (A) A full description of the current technical assistance 
     democracy programs conducted by the Department of State and 
     United States Agency for International Development to support 
     the political opposition in Syria.
       (B) A full summary of the communications equipment that is 
     currently being provided to the political opposition in 
     Syria, including a description of the entities that have 
     received and that will continue to receive such equipment.
       (C) A description of any additional activities the United 
     States plans to undertake in support of the political 
     opposition in Syria.
       (D) A description of the funding levels currently dedicated 
     to support the political opposition in Syria.
       (d) Form.--The reports required by this section may be 
     submitted in a classified form, but shall include an 
     unclassified summary.

  The bill (S. 2224), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed.

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