[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 203 (Saturday, December 22, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8028-S8029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 741--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE ON THE LETTER 
OF RESIGNATION OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JAMES MATTIS AND ON THE DECISION 
 OF PRESIDENT TRUMP TO RAPIDLY WITHDRAW UNITED STATES FORCES FROM SYRIA

  Mr. WARNER (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Coons, Mr. Reed, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Mr. Carper, and Mr. Van Hollen) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 741

       Whereas James Mattis served the United States with 
     distinction over the course of a long career in the United 
     States Marine Corp and as Secretary of Defense;
       Whereas the Senate concurs with the following sentiments 
     expressed in letter of resignation submitted by Secretary 
     Mattis to President Trump:
       (1) The strength of the United States is inextricably 
     linked to the strength of our system of alliances and 
     partnerships.
       (2) The United States cannot protect our interests or serve 
     as the indispensable nation in the free world without those 
     alliances and partnerships.
       (3) Maintaining that system of alliances and partnerships 
     requires that the United States demonstrate respect for our 
     allies.
       (4) While the Armed Forces of the United States cannot 
     serve as the world's policeman, the United States must use 
     all tools of American power to provide for the common 
     defense, including providing effective leadership to our 
     alliances.
       (5) Those alliances and partnerships have assisted the 
     United States in increasing our national security, for 
     example when all North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
     nations fought alongside the United States following the 
     attacks of September 11, 2001, and when 74 nations joined the 
     effort to defeat the threat from the Islamic State of Iraq 
     and Syria (ISIS).
       (6) The United States must demonstrate resolve and be 
     unambiguous in our approach to countries whose strategic 
     interests run counter to our own.
       (7) The Russian Federation and China wish to shape a world 
     order consistent with their authoritarian model, allowing 
     them to veto other nations' economic, diplomatic, and 
     security decisions, and to promote their own interests at the 
     expense of other nations, the United States, and our allies.
       (8) The United States must do everything possible to 
     advance a rules-based international order that is most 
     conducive to our security, prosperity, and values, and our 
     efforts in that regard are strengthened by the solidarity of 
     our alliances.
       (9) United States military pressure has demonstrated 
     considerable, but incomplete progress against global 
     terrorist groups, particularly al Qaeda, the group 
     responsible for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on 
     the United States and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, 
     who threaten the stability of the Middle East and the safety 
     of the American people and the citizens of many of our 
     closest allies;

       Whereas there are a small number of troops on the ground in 
     Syria to train, equip, advise, and assist United States 
     partners in the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting the Islamic 
     State of Iraq and Syria;
       Whereas the governments of the Russian Federation and Iran 
     are fighting alongside the Assad regime against United States 
     allies and interests;
       Whereas the abrupt decision of the President to remove all 
     United States forces in Syria without consultation enables 
     Iran and the Russian Federation to expand their influence and 
     presence in Syria and beyond and threatens United States 
     partners in Syria and Israel and other allies in the region; 
     and
       Whereas the decision of the President to precipitously 
     withdraw United States troops will leave the people of Syria 
     even more vulnerable to violence from terrorist groups and 
     provide time and space for al Qaeda and the Islamic State of 
     Iraq and Syria to reconstitute and launch attacks against the 
     United States and our allies: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses its gratitude to Secretary of Defense James 
     Mattis for his decades of honorable service to the United 
     States in the United States Marine Corps and at the 
     Department of Defense;
       (2) expresses strong support for United States alliances 
     and partnerships with allies around the world;
       (3) expresses concern with President Trump's decision to 
     rapidly withdraw United States forces from Syria, a decision 
     taken without consultation with Congress or our allies and 
     partners and without apparent concern for our national and 
     collective interests; and
       (4) believes that these decisions could further undermine 
     United States leadership in the world, weaken our alliance 
     and partnership structure, and make it harder to achieve a 
     world more conducive to United States interests, including 
     support for democracy.

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