[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H6476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             SYRIAN LAW 10

  (Mr. SESSIONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the 
pressing issue that has the potential to exponentially worsen the 
humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country of Syria.
  I know I don't need to remind this body or the American people of the 
dire circumstance that the Syrian people face as their country 
continues to be ripped apart by a known war criminal, their President, 
Bashar al-Assad.
  While millions of Syrians have fled the country, seeking asylum and 
safety in neighboring countries, the majority of these refugees' only 
hope is to one day return back to their home. However, the Syrian 
regime recently passed a law that will make that nearly impossible.
  Law 10, passed in April of this year, forces all Syrians, regardless 
of where they are currently residing, to register and provide proof of 
ownership of their private properties in Syria within 30 days, or else 
they will be forced to hand their properties over to the state of 
Syria. This amounts to a massive land grab by the corrupt Syrian regime 
that would essentially push out the nearly 13 million displaced Syrians 
and ensure that they never have a chance to return home.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that this body will understand this and we 
will speak loudly.
  I urge my colleagues and this administration to take a serious and 
critical look at this law that would have far-reaching implications for 
the United States and our allies who have offered these refugees 
temporary asylum in our nations and the disastrous consequences for the 
Syrian people for generations to come.

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