[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1846-S1847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

SENATE RESOLUTION 87--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING THE 
ONGOING CONFLICT IN SYRIA AS IT REACHES ITS SIX-YEAR MARK IN MARCH, THE 
  ENSUING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN SYRIA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, THE 
RESULTING HUMANITARIAN AND NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES, AND THE URGENT 
              NEED FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS

  Mr. KAINE (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Rubio, and Mr. Murphy) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                               S. Res. 87

       Whereas the transnational Salafi-jihadi organizations ISIL 
     and al Qaeda are utilizing the conflict in Syria and the 
     actions of the Assad regime to recruit and mobilize fighter 
     and popular support;
       Whereas the crisis in Syria has led to the creation of 
     terrorist safe havens controlled by ISIL and al Qaeda, along 
     with other extremist groups, which have become bases from 
     which to plan, direct, and inspire attacks against the United 
     States and its allies and partners;
       Whereas the spread of violence perpetuated by the Syrian 
     conflict and the flow of refugees is a threat to the security 
     of United States allies in the Middle East and Europe, 
     placing immense domestic and humanitarian burdens on Syria's 
     neighbors, most notably Lebanon and Jordan, as well as Turkey 
     and Iraq;
       Whereas the Syrian conflict has allowed Iran's Islamic 
     Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies to increase their 
     influence in parts of Syria and potentially threaten Israel's 
     borders;
       Whereas United Nations Security Council resolutions 2332 
     (2016), 2268 (2016), and 2139 (2014) call for the 
     implementation of a cessation of hostilities in Syria and 
     reaffirm the international community's support for the 
     immediate, direct, and uninhibited access of humanitarian 
     workers throughout the Syrian Arab Republic;
       Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
     estimates that the Syrian conflict has created 4,800,000 
     refugees and 6,600,000 internally displaced persons;
       Whereas widespread and systematic attacks on civilians, 
     schools, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure, in 
     violation of international humanitarian law, continue in 
     Syria, in particular as result of the actions of the Assad 
     regime and its Russian and Iranian supporters;
       Whereas widespread and systematic violations of the human 
     rights of the people of Syria continue to be perpetrated by 
     the Assad regime;
       Whereas, according to Amnesty International, the Assad 
     regime has a documented record of committing mass human 
     rights abuses against detainees, including 5,000 to 13,000 
     detainees summarily executed by hanging between September 
     2011 through December 2015;
       Whereas the regime of Bashar al-Assad has repeatedly 
     blocked civilian access to or diverted humanitarian 
     assistance, including medical supplies, from besieged and 
     hard-to-reach areas, in violation of United Nations Security 
     Council resolutions;
       Whereas the Assad regime is subject to and in violation of 
     both United Nations Security Council Resolution 2118 (2013) 
     on the Framework for Elimination of Syrian Chemical Weapons 
     and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2209 (2015) 
     Condemning the Use of Chlorine Gas in Syria;
       Whereas the Governments of the Russian Federation and Iran 
     have supported the Assad regime, perpetuated the conflict, 
     and deployed tactics and strategies that have caused grave 
     harm to civilians, including their conduct in the siege of 
     eastern Aleppo, constituting war crimes and crimes against 
     humanity;
       Whereas there exists sufficient documentation, as well as 
     credible, clear, and convincing reporting, to charge Bashar 
     al-Assad with war crimes and crimes against humanity due to 
     the Assad regime's confirmed use of chemical weapons, use of 
     barrel bombs against noncombatants, widespread use of 
     torture, summary executions, prolonged sieges, forcible 
     relocations, and indiscriminate targeting of civilians and 
     humanitarian actors;
       Whereas the United States Government has provided over 
     $5,800,000 since 2011 in humanitarian assistance to 
     communities and people directly impacted by the Syrian 
     conflict, including $364,000,000 that will be provided in 
     fiscal year 2017 for refugees and other people displaced by 
     the Syrian conflict; and

[[Page S1847]]

       Whereas the United States Armed Forces are leading the 
     Global Coalition to Counter ISIL and are deployed with 
     Coalition allies within the territory of Syria and are 
     working by, with, and through local Syrian partner forces to 
     defeat ISIL and stabilize territory taken from it: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) strongly condemns the regime of Bashar al-Assad for 
     committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 
     Syrian conflict, including the use of chemical weapons, in 
     violation of its obligations as required by United Nations 
     Security Council Resolutions 2118 (2013) and 2209 (2015), and 
     for the widespread use of torture, summary executions, 
     prolonged sieges, forcible relocations, and indiscriminate 
     targeting of civilians and humanitarian actors;
       (2) condemns the Assad regime and the Government of the 
     Russian Federation for using indiscriminate cluster munitions 
     on civilian areas and infrastructure and for the deliberate 
     targeting of United Nations humanitarian aid convoys;
       (3) urges all parties to the conflict, particularly the 
     Russian Federation, Iran, and Iranian-backed militias, to 
     immediately halt indiscriminate attacks, the imposition of 
     starvation sieges, and other forms of warfare directed 
     against civilians and civilian infrastructure;
       (4) strongly urges all parties to the conflict to allow for 
     and facilitate immediate, unfettered access to humanitarian 
     assistance throughout Syria, respecting the safety, security, 
     independence, and impartiality of humanitarian workers and 
     ensuring freedom of movement to deliver aid, particularly in 
     areas of Syria controlled by opposition forces;
       (5) affirms the neutrality of medical professionals 
     providing humanitarian assistance and health care on a non-
     political basis, and condemns attacks against such personnel 
     or interference in the provision of medical care, 
     particularly in areas of Syria controlled by opposition 
     forces;
       (6) encourages the President to make it the policy of the 
     United States Government to continue to coordinate a 
     comprehensive and generous response to the Syrian 
     humanitarian crisis, including assistance and development, 
     and protection of human rights inside Syria and in the 
     region;
       (7) urges all parties in Syria to support the immediate and 
     full implementation of United Nations Security Council 
     Resolution 2268 (2016), which calls for a cessation of 
     hostilities in the conflict, except with ISIL and al Qaeda 
     and their affiliated organizations, to facilitate the 
     provision of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction of 
     war-affected communities in Syria;
       (8) affirms that the elimination of al Qaeda and ISIS safe 
     havens in Syria, from which those organizations can plan and 
     launch attacks against the United States and its partners, is 
     a vital national security interest of the United States;
       (9) commends the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Syrian Arab 
     Coalition, and other local, Syrian partner forces for their 
     support of Operation Inherent Resolve and the efforts of the 
     Global Coalition to Counter ISIL;
       (10) affirms that the stability of key European and Middle 
     Eastern partners is vital to the national security of the 
     United States and preventing the Syrian conflict from 
     undermining that stability is a top priority for the United 
     States;
       (11) calls on the international community to continue to 
     support neighboring countries and host communities who are 
     generously supporting refugees and internally displaced 
     persons fleeing the conflict in Syria;
       (12) calls on the President to continue the active 
     participation of the United States Government in a robust and 
     effective diplomatic process to achieve a political agreement 
     to the Syrian conflict; and
       (13) urges the President to develop and submit to the 
     Committees on Foreign Relations and Armed Services of the 
     Senate within 90 days a strategy for providing long-term 
     stability and security in areas seized from ISIL.

  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, 6 years ago, the Syrian people rose up 
against the tyranny of the Assad regime and hoped that the 
international community would stand by their side in this monumental 
endeavor. Nearly half a million Syrians have been killed by this 
conflict. More than 13 million Syrians have been forced to flee their 
homes and continue to face starvation and sieges by pro-Assad forces. 
Assad's barrel bombs and Russian airstrikes still target hospitals and 
schools. Syria's neighbors have provided refuge to nearly 5 million, 
mostly women and children. At the same time, many Syrians continue to 
risk their lives in an attempt to find safety on Europe's shores.
  In the vacuum left by Assad's devastation, extremist groups like ISIS 
and al-Qaida have found fertile ground. Ankara, Baghdad, Beirut, 
Brussels, Paris, San Bernadino--these are just a few of the places 
impacted by ISIS. As long as the Syrian conflict continues, violence 
and extremism will continue to spiral out of the region. It is time for 
the United States and international community to hold the Assad regime 
and its backers accountable for their actions. The Trump administration 
should take an active role in resolving this conflict. The Syrian 
conflict has many dimensions--leaving this to the Russians and hoping 
that they can end this war is not a strategy. American leadership, 
along with support from regional actors and the international 
community, is the only meaningful approach towards bringing peace to 
Syria and its citizens and justice to the Assad regime for its brutal 
actions.
  I am pleased to introduce this resolution with Senators McCain and 
Rubio and Murphy that condemns the Assad regime's blatant disregard for 
international law and human life and asks the Trump administration to 
pursue a strategy that can help bring the brutal conflict to a peaceful 
conclusion. The resolution also denounces Iran and Russia for their 
political and military support of the Assad regime and calls for 
protection of civilians and humanitarian workers.

                          ____________________