[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 171 (Tuesday, October 29, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H8568-H8576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROTECT AGAINST CONFLICT BY TURKEY ACT
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4695) to impose sanctions with respect to Turkey, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4695
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Against Conflict by
Turkey Act'' or the ``PACT Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the United States and Turkey have been treaty allies
since 1952, when Turkey became a member of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO);
(2) being a NATO member means that Turkey is treaty bound
to safeguard the principles of democracy, individual liberty,
and the rule of law and, importantly, should be united with
other NATO allies in efforts for collective defense and the
preservation of peace and security;
(3) Turkey's military invasion of northern Syria on October
9, 2019, is an unacceptable and unnecessary escalation of
tensions with the potential to cause a severe humanitarian
crisis and undo the collective gains made in the fight
against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by the
United States and the 81 countries and organizations of the
Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, including NATO and the
European Union (EU);
(4) Turkey should immediately cease attacks against the
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Kurdish and Arab civilians,
and other religious and ethnic minority communities in
northern Syria and recall its forces back to Turkey;
(5) targeted sanctions against Turkey are an appropriate
response in order for Turkey to be held accountable for its
military invasion of northern Syria;
(6) Turkey's military invasion of northern Syria is the
latest example of the weakening and problematic United
States-Turkey bilateral relationship and undermines the
security of the United States and its NATO allies, including
that of Turkey;
(7) the SDF have been critical partners to United States
and allied counter-ISIS and broader counterterrorism efforts
in Syria, and the United States should continue this
partnership with the SDF;
(8) the United States Government should utilize diplomatic
and military tools to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS;
(9) the United States should stand by critical allies and
partners;
(10) Russian and Iranian political and military influence
in Syria present a threat to United States national security
interests; and
(11) the United States Government, in concert with the
international community, should hold accountable members of
the Syrian regime and the Governments of the Russian
Federation and Iran for atrocities against the Syrian people.
SEC. 3. SANCTIONS AGAINST SENIOR TURKISH OFFICIALS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 15 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose the
sanctions described in section 14 with respect to the
following foreign persons in connection with Turkey's
military invasion of northern Syria on October 9, 2019:
(1) The Minister of National Defense of Turkey.
(2) The Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed
Forces.
(3) The Commander of the 2nd Army of the Turkish Armed
Forces.
(4) The Minister of Treasury and Finance of Turkey.
(b) Additional Sanctions.--
(1) List.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Director
of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President and
appropriate congressional committees a list of the following
foreign persons in connection with Turkey's military invasion
of northern Syria on October 9, 2019:
(A) Senior Turkish defense officials involved in the
decision to invade northern Syria.
(B) Senior Turkish military officials leading attacks
against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Kurdish and Arab
civilians, or other religious or ethnic minority communities
in northern Syria.
(C) Turkish officials significantly facilitating Turkey's
military invasion of northern Syria.
(D) Any Turkish official or member of the Turkish Armed
Forces who is responsible for, complicit in, or has directly
or indirectly engaged, or has attempted to engage, in any of
the following relating to Turkey's military invasion of
northern Syria:
(i) A violation of the law of armed conflict.
(ii) A gross violation of internationally recognized human
rights.
(2) Updates.--The list required under paragraph (1) shall
be updated every 60 days, until the sanctions under this
section are terminated in accordance with section 7.
(3) Imposition of sanctions.--Not later than 15 days after
submission of the list required under paragraph (1) and each
update relating thereto in accordance with paragraph (2), the
President shall impose the sanctions described in section 14
with respect to foreign persons identified in such list and
related updates.
(c) Waiver.--
(1) In general.--The President may waive, on a case-by-case
basis and for a period of not more than 90 days, the
imposition of sanctions under this section with respect to a
foreign person if the President--
(A) determines that--
(i) it is vital to the national security interests of the
United States to do so; and
(ii) Turkey--
(I) has halted attacks against the SDF, Kurdish and Arab
civilians, and other religious and ethnic minority
communities in northern Syria; and
(II) is not hindering counter-terrorism operations against
ISIS; and
(B) not later than 15 days before issuing such a waiver,
submits to the appropriate congressional committees a
justification relating to such determination.
(2) Renewal of waivers.--The President may, on a case-by-
case basis, renew a waiver under paragraph (1) for an
additional period of not more than 90 days if, not later than
15 days before such a waiver expires, the President
determines it is vital to the national security interests of
the United States to do so and submits to the appropriate
congressional committees a justification relating to such
determination.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON ARMS TRANSFERS TO TURKISH MILITARY
UNITS IN SYRIA.
(a) Prohibition.--No United States defense articles,
defense services, or technology under the Arms Export Control
Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) may be transferred to the
Government of Turkey if such articles, services, or
technology could be used in operations by the Turkish Armed
Forces in northern Syria.
(b) Exception.--The prohibition under subsection (a) shall
not apply to transfers for ultimate end use by the United
States military or for use in military operations approved by
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
(c) No Use of Emergency Authority.--The authority of the
President to waive statutory congressional review periods
under the Arms Export Control Act in cases in which an
emergency exists shall not apply to the transfer of defense
articles, defense services, or technology to the Government
of Turkey.
SEC. 5. SANCTIONS AGAINST FOREIGN PERSONS PROVIDING ARMS TO
TURKISH ARMED FORCES IN SYRIA.
(a) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Director
of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President and
appropriate congressional committees a list of any foreign
persons determined to knowingly have provided, on or after
such date of enactment, defense articles, defense services,
or technology (as such terms are defined and described in the
Arms Export Control Act) to the Government of Turkey if such
articles, services, or technology could be used in operations
by the Turkish Armed Forces in northern Syria.
(2) Updates.--The list required under paragraph (1) shall
be updated every 60 days or as new information becomes
available, until the sanctions under this section are
terminated in accordance with section 7.
(b) Imposition of Sanctions.--The President shall impose
the sanctions described in section 14 with respect to any
foreign persons identified on the list and related updates
required under subsection (a).
(c) Exception.--The sanctions imposed pursuant to this
section shall not apply to transfers for ultimate end use by
the United States military or for use in military operations
approved by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
(d) Waiver.--
(1) In general.--The President may waive, on a case-by-case
basis and for a period of not more than 90 days, the
imposition of sanctions under this section with respect to a
foreign person if the President determines it is important to
the national security interests of the United States to do so
and, not later than 15 days before issuing such a waiver,
submits to the appropriate congressional committees a
justification relating to such determination.
(2) Renewal of waivers.--The President may, on a case-by-
case basis, renew a waiver
[[Page H8569]]
under paragraph (1) for an additional period of not more than
90 days if, not later than 15 days before such a waiver
expires, the President determines it is important to the
national security interests of the United States to do so and
submits to the appropriate congressional committees a
justification relating to such determination.
SEC. 6. TARGETED FOREIGN FINANCIAL SANCTIONS.
(a) Halk Bankasi or Halkbank.--Not later than 15 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall impose
the sanctions described in section 14(1) with respect to Halk
Bankas( or Halkbank or any successor entity thereof.
(b) Financial Institutions.--
(1) In general.--If the Secretary of State, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Treasury, and
Director of National Intelligence, determines that any
foreign financial institution, in addition to the foreign
financial institutions specified in subsection (a), has
knowingly facilitated significant transactions for the
Turkish Armed Forces or defense industry relating to Turkey's
military invasion of northern Syria on October 9, 2019, the
President shall, not later than 60 days after any such
determination, impose the sanctions described in section
14(1) with respect to any such foreign financial institution.
(2) Waiver.--
(A) In general.--The President may waive, on a case-by-case
basis and for a period of not more than 90 days, the
imposition of sanctions under this subsection if the
President--
(i) determines that--
(I) it is vital to the national security interests of the
United States to do so; and
(II) Turkey--
(aa) has halted attacks against the Syrian Democratic
Forces, Kurdish and Arab civilians, and other religious and
ethnic minority communities in northern Syria; and
(bb) is not hindering counter-terrorism operations against
ISIS; and
(ii) not later than 15 days before issuing such a waiver,
submits to the appropriate congressional committees a
justification relating to such determination.
(B) Renewal of waivers.--The President may, on a case-by-
case basis, renew a waiver under subparagraph (A) for an
additional period of not more than 90 days if, not later than
15 days before such a waiver expires, the President
determines it is vital to the national security interests of
the United States to do so and submits to the appropriate
congressional committees a justification relating to such
determination.
SEC. 7. TERMINATION AUTHORITY.
(a) Sections 3, 4, and 5.--The authority to impose
sanctions under sections 3 and 5 (and the sanctions imposed
pursuant to such sections) and the prohibitions under section
4 shall terminate if the President determines and submits to
the appropriate congressional committees a finding that--
(1) Turkey has halted attacks against the Syrian Democratic
Forces, Kurdish and Arab civilians, and other religious and
ethnic minority communities in northern Syria;
(2) Turkish forces not involved in coordinated operations
with NATO allies or the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS have
withdrawn from northern Syria; and
(3) Turkey is not hindering counter-terrorism operations
against ISIS.
(b) Section 6.--The authority to impose financial sanctions
under section 6 (and the sanctions imposed pursuant to such
section) shall terminate if the President determines and
submits to the appropriate congressional committees the
finding described in subsection (a)(1).
SEC. 8. IMPOSITION OF CERTAIN SANCTIONS UNDER COUNTERING
AMERICA'S ADVERSARIES THROUGH SANCTIONS ACT
AGAINST TURKEY.
(a) Determination.--For the purposes of section 231 of the
Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22
U.S.C. 9525), Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 air
and missile defense system beginning July 12, 2019, shall be
considered to be a significant transaction described in such
section.
(b) Sanctions.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose five or
more of the sanctions described in section 235 of the
Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (22
U.S.C. 9529) with respect to the Government of Turkey.
SEC. 9. PLANS AND REPORTS TO ADDRESS NATIONAL SECURITY
THREATS CAUSED BY TURKEY'S MILITARY INVASION OF
NORTHERN SYRIA.
Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act--
(1) the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees--
(A) a plan to ensure that ISIS detainees and families held
in Syria remain under proper custody, in accordance with
internationally recognized human rights requirements, and in
a manner that does not threaten United States security
interests; and
(B) a report on the impact that Turkey's military invasion
of northern Syria is having on counterterrorism operations in
Syria; and
(2) the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a plan for how the United States
will assist the Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurdish and Arab
civilians, and other religious and ethnic minority
communities affected by Turkey's military invasion of
northern Syria on October 9, 2019.
SEC. 10. REPORT ON NET WORTH OF TURKISH PRESIDENT RECEP
TAYYIP ERDOGAN.
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the
Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of National
Intelligence, shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the estimated net worth and known
sources of income of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and his family members (including spouse, children, parents,
and siblings), including assets, investments, other business
interests, and relevant beneficial ownership information.
SEC. 11. REPORT ON TURKEY'S MILITARY INVASION OF NORTHERN
SYRIA.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Russian Federation and Iran continue to--
(A) exploit a security vacuum in Syria; and
(B) pose a threat to vital United States national security
interests; and
(2) continued Turkish military activity inside Syria will
negatively impact the national security interest and regional
stability of the United States.
(b) Report Required.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development,
and the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
on Turkey's military invasion of northern Syria on October 9,
2019, including the impact of the withdrawal of United States
troops from northern Syria. The Secretary of State shall
provide an updated report or briefing to the appropriate
congressional committees as circumstances warrant.
(2) Elements of the report.--The report, and any update
thereto, required under paragraph (1) shall include the
following elements:
(A) A description of the impact of Turkey's military
invasion of northern Syria on the ability of ISIS to
reconstitute a physical caliphate.
(B) A description of the impact of the invasion on the
Russian Federation's military and political influence in
Syria.
(C) A description of the impact of the invasion on Iran's
ability to increase its military and political influence in
Syria.
(D) A comprehensive assessment of the United States
Government's activities to counter Iranian and Russian
Federation influence in Syria.
(E) An outline of planned joint actions by the Department
of State and the Department of Defense, in consultation with
the heads of the other appropriate Federal agencies,
regarding all stabilization funds or activities for Syria,
and an explanation of how such funds and activities can
contribute to stabilization in the current environment and
without limited United States troop presence in northern
Syria.
(F) The creation and use by the Government of Turkey of
``safe zones'' to justify the involuntary or uninformed
return of Syrian refugees from Turkey to Syrian territory, to
justify the forced displacement of Syrians inside Syria, or
to prevent Syrians from seeking international protections.
(G) The role of the Government of Turkey and Turkish-backed
forces in facilitating humanitarian actors, including
international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), for
cross-border work from Turkey and in ensuring efficient, open
supply lines for humanitarian assistance and personnel
through border crossing points on the Turkey-Syria and Iraq-
Syria borders, and facilitating safe passage of humanitarian
assistance to Syrians inside Syria based on need.
(H) The actions of the Government of Turkey and Turkish-
backed forces in the operation of all camps for families
displaced by conflict as civilian facilities, and ensuring
that camp residents, in particular women and children, are
treated as civilian victims of conflict in accordance with
international law and standards.
(I) The actions of the Government of Turkey and Turkish-
backed forces in taking effective measures to protect
civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health
facilities, water pumping stations, and restricting use of
explosive weapons in populated areas.
SEC. 12. STRATEGY TO PREVENT THE RESURGENCE OF THE ISLAMIC
STATE OF IRAQ AND SYRIA (ISIS) AND ITS
AFFILIATES.
(a) Strategy Required.--Not later than 60 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development,
and the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies, shall
jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
strategy to prevent the resurgence of Islamic State of Iraq
and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.
(b) Elements of the Strategy.--The strategy required under
subsection (a) shall include the following elements:
(1) A summary of the United States national security
interests in Iraq and Syria and the impact a resurgence of
ISIS would have on such interests.
(2) A assessment of current training and support programs
by Federal agency or department, specifically focused on
countering
[[Page H8570]]
ISIS and other terrorist organizations, including non-lethal
assistance, training, and organizational capacity for the
Syrian Democratic Forces, the Iraqi Security Forces, the
Kurdish Peshmerga, and others to counter gains by ISIS and
its affiliates.
(3) A description of United States Government efforts to
support, develop, and expand local governance structures in
areas in Syria previously liberated from ISIS control.
(4) An estimate of the number of current, active ISIS
members in Iraq and Syria, including an assessment of those
being held in detainee camps or prisons.
(5) A comprehensive plan to address ISIS detainees
currently being held in Syria and Iraq, including the
following elements:
(A) The designation of an existing official within the
Department of State to serve as a senior-level coordinator to
coordinate, in conjunction with the lead and other relevant
agencies, all matters for the United States Government
relating to the long-term disposition of ISIS foreign
terrorist fighter detainees, including all matters in
connection with--
(i) repatriation, transfer, prosecution, and intelligence-
gathering;
(ii) coordinating a whole-of-government approach with other
countries and international organizations, including
INTERPOL, to ensure secure chains of custody and locations of
ISIS foreign terrorist fighter detainees;
(iii) coordinating technical and evidentiary assistance to
foreign countries to aid in the successful prosecution of
ISIS foreign terrorist fighter detainees; and
(iv) all multilateral and international engagements led by
the Department of State and other agencies that are related
to the current and future handling, detention, and
prosecution of ISIS foreign terrorist fighter detainees.
(B) A description, which may be in classified form, of ISIS
senior leadership and infrastructure and efforts to target
leadership figures.
(C) A comprehensive description of United States activities
utilizing social media and other communication technologies
to counter ISIS's propaganda, influence, and ability to
recruit fighters domestically and internationally, including
with private technology companies, and how such activities
are being coordinated across the United States Government.
(D) A description of the efforts of the United States
Government, including economic sanctions, to deny financial
resources, including revenues from natural resources
extraction, sale of antiquities, kidnapping, extortion,
taxation, smuggling, access to cash storage sites, and access
to international financial networks, to ISIS and its
affiliates, in conjunction with international partners and
financial institutions.
(E) A description of United States Government efforts to
support credible war crimes prosecutions against ISIS
fighters.
(F) A plan to ensure the delivery of humanitarian
assistance.
SEC. 13. REPORT ON ACCOUNTABILITY FOR VIOLATIONS OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW, INCLUDING THE LAW OF ARMED
CONFLICT, AND OTHER HARM TO CIVILIANS IN SYRIA
DURING TURKEY'S MILITARY INVASION.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) Turkish and pro-Turkish forces should end all practices
involving arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances,
torture, arbitrary executions, and other unlawful treatment;
and
(2) all stakeholders in Turkey's military invasion of
northern Syria should reveal the fate or the location of all
persons who have been subjected to enforced disappearance by
such stakeholders.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
that describes the causes and consequences of civilian harm
occurring during Turkey's military invasion of northern
Syria, including violations of the law of armed conflict and
gross violations of internationally recognized human rights,
as a result of the actions of all parties to the conflict.
(2) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1)
shall include the following elements:
(A) A description of civilian harm occurring in the context
of Turkey's military invasion, including--
(i) mass casualty incidents; and
(ii) damage to, and destruction of, civilian infrastructure
and services, including--
(I) hospitals and other medical facilities;
(II) electrical grids;
(III) water systems; and
(IV) other critical infrastructure.
(B) A description of violations of the law of armed
conflict committed during Turkey's military invasion by all
forces involved in the Turkish-led coalition and all forces
fighting on its behalf and by any other combatants in the
conflict, including--
(i) alleged violations of the law of armed conflict;
(ii) specific instances of failure by the parties to the
conflict to exercise distinction, proportionality, and
precaution in the use force in accordance with the law of
armed conflict;
(iii) arbitrary denials of humanitarian access and the
resulting impact on the alleviation of human suffering;
(iv) extra-judicial executions and detention-related
abuses; and
(v) other acts that may constitute violations of the law of
armed conflict.
(C) Recommendations for establishing accountability
mechanisms for civilian harm, violations of the law of armed
conflict, and gross violations of internationally recognized
human rights perpetrated by Turkish and pro-Turkish forces in
Syria, including the potential for prosecuting individuals
perpetrating, organizing, directing, or ordering such
violations.
SEC. 14. SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.
The sanctions described in this section are the following:
(1) Asset blocking.--The President shall exercise all of
the powers granted by the International Emergency Economic
Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (except that the
requirements of section 202 of such Act (50 U.S.C. 1701)
shall not apply) to the extent necessary to block and
prohibit all transactions in all property and interests in
property of a person if such property and interests in
property are in the United States, come within the United
States, or are or come within the possession or control of a
United States person.
(2) Aliens inadmissible for visas, admission, or parole.--
(A) Visas, admission, or parole.--A foreign person is--
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to
enter the United States; and
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into
the United States or to receive any other benefit under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visas revoked.--The visa or other entry
documentation of a foreign person shall be revoked,
regardless of when such visa or other entry documentation is
or was issued. A revocation under this subparagraph shall
take effect immediately and automatically cancel any other
valid visa or entry documentation that is in the foreign
person's possession.
(C) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters
agreement.--Sanctions under this paragraph shall not apply to
an individual if admitting such individual into the United
States is necessary to permit the United States to comply
with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United
Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered
into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and
the United States, or other applicable international
obligations of the United States.
SEC. 15. IMPLEMENTATION.
(a) In General.--The President--
(1) may exercise all authorities provided to the President
under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out
this Act; and
(2) shall issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as
are necessary to carry out this Act.
(b) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections
(b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to any
person who violates, attempts to violate, conspires to
violate, or causes a violation of any prohibition of this
Act, or an order or regulation prescribed under this Act, to
the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that
commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that
section.
SEC. 16. EXCEPTION RELATING TO IMPORTATION OF GOODS.
(a) In General.--The authorities and requirements to impose
sanctions under this Act or any amendments made by this Act
shall not include the authority or requirement to impose
sanctions on the importation of goods.
(b) Good Defined.--In this section, the term ``good'' means
any article, natural or man-made substance, material, supply
or manufactured product, including inspection and test
equipment and excluding technical data.
SEC. 17. HUMANITARIAN WAIVER.
The President may waive the application of any provision of
this Act (other than section 16) for the purpose of providing
humanitarian assistance if the President certifies to the
appropriate congressional committees that such a waiver is
important to address a humanitarian need and consistent with
the national security interests of the United States, not
later than 15 days before issuing such a waiver, the
President submits to such committees a justification relating
to such determination.
SEC. 18. UNITED STATES REFUGEE PROGRAM PRIORITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in consultation
with the Secretary of Homeland Security shall designate, as
Priority 2 refugees of special humanitarian concern--
(1) Syrian Kurds, stateless persons who habitually resided
in Syria, and other Syrians, who partnered with, or worked
for or directly with, the United States Government in Syria
for an aggregate period of not less than 1 year;
(2) Syrian Kurds, stateless persons who habitually resided
in Syria, and other Syrians, who were employed in Syria, for
an aggregate period of not less than 1 year, by--
(A) a media or nongovernmental organization based in the
United States;
(B) an organization or entity that has received a grant
from, or entered into a cooperative agreement or contract
with, the United States Government; or
[[Page H8571]]
(C) an organization that--
(i) was continuously physically present in Northeast Syria
between 2011 and the date of the enactment of this Act; and
(ii) has partnered with an organization described in
subparagraph (A) or (B);
(3) the spouses, children, sons, daughters, siblings, and
parents of aliens described in paragraph (1); or
(4) Syrian Kurds, stateless persons who habitually resided
in Syria, and other Syrians, who have an immediate relative
(as defined in section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i)) or a family
member described in section 203(a) of such Act (8 U.S.C.
203(a)) who is physically present in the United States.
(b) Eligibility for Admission as a Refugee.--An alien may
not be denied the opportunity to apply for admission as a
refugee under this section solely because such alien
qualifies as an immediate relative of a national of the
United States or is eligible for admission to the United
States under any other immigrant classification.
(c) Membership in Certain Syrian Organizations.--An
applicant for admission to the United States under this
section may not be deemed inadmissible solely because the
applicant was a member of, or provided support to, the Syrian
Democratic Forces.
(d) Exclusion From Numerical Limitations.--Aliens provided
refugee status under this section shall not be counted
against any numerical limitation under section 201, 202, 203,
or 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151,
1152, 1153, and 1157).
(e) Identification of Other Persecuted Groups.--The
Secretary of State, or the designee of the Secretary, is
authorized to classify other groups of Syrians, including
vulnerable populations, as Priority 2 refugees of special
humanitarian concern.
(f) Satisfaction of Other Requirements.--Aliens designated
as Priority 2 refugees of special humanitarian concern under
this section shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements
under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1157) for admission to the United States.
SEC. 19. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Admission; admitted; alien.--The terms ``admission'',
``admitted'', and ``alien'' have the meanings given such
terms in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
(8 U.S.C. 1101).
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on
Armed Services, and the Committee on Financial Services of
the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on
Armed Services, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and
Urban Affairs of the Senate.
(3) Foreign person.--The term ``foreign person'' means an
individual or entity that is not a United States person.
(4) Gross violations of internationally recognized human
rights.--The term ``gross violations of internationally
recognized human rights'' has the meaning given such term in
section 502B(d)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2304(d)(1)).
(5) Knowingly.--The term ``knowingly'' with respect to
conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has
actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the
circumstance, or the result.
(6) United states person.--The term ``United States
person'' means--
(A) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence to the United States; or
(B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States
or any jurisdiction within the United States, including a
foreign branch of such an entity.
SEC. 20. SUNSET.
This Act shall terminate on the date that is three years
after the date on which sanctions imposed pursuant to this
Act have terminated.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 4695.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I have described the administration's approach to
international affairs as ``fly by the seat of your pants'' foreign
policy, but over time, we have seen a pattern emerge. The President of
the United States stokes a crisis and then steps in with some sort of
half measure in a failed attempt to look like a great deal is
happening.
You can't be the arsonist and the fireman at the same time. And the
situation in Syria right now may be the clearest example of this and
the most disastrous.
Around 2 weeks ago, President Trump gave Turkey's President Erdogan
the green light to launch a military invasion of northern Syria, and
that is precisely what Turkey did.
What followed was a gruesome campaign slaughtering our Syrian Kurdish
partners who fought alongside the United States against ISIS. Already
nearly 200,000 people, including women, children, and families, have
been displaced, driven from their ancestral homes--ethnic cleansing at
its worst.
The deal we signed with Erdogan has led directly to this ethnic
cleansing in northern Syria's indigenous Kurdish region. It is really a
disgrace. These people fought with us. These people took bullets for
us. These people were our loyal and faithful allies. For the United
States to turn our backs on them, or to start a chain of events that
would hurt them, really is a very dark day in our country's history.
As the Kurds fight to survive this onslaught, they have been forced
to abandon their watch over the prisons holding thousands of ISIS
fighters. Over 100 of these terrorists have reportedly escaped. Now,
the situation in northeast Syria is a humanitarian and national
security crisis.
In a region already rife with conflict, Turkey's military operation
is wreaking even more havoc. And rather than hold Turkey accountable
for how they have conducted this bloody campaign, President Trump has
given them a free pass. When the head of ISIS was finally killed,
President Trump, unfortunately, thanked the Turks, thanked the Turkish
Government. That doesn't sit right with me.
First, the administration arranged a sham cease-fire that gave
Erdogan all he could have wanted. Then, Turkey entered into an
agreement with Vladimir Putin that ceded America's influence in the
region to Russia. And then, President Trump lifted sanctions on Turkey
once the Kurds fled.
President Trump has let Erdogan off scot-free for a heinous assault
that is destabilizing the region and threatening international
security. President Trump and President Erdogan are responsible for the
catastrophe in northeast Syria. They both must be held accountable.
On October 16, the House passed a measure rebuking President Trump
for this disastrous policy--passed, I will note, with overwhelming
bipartisan support.
Now, the United States needs to make sure that Turkish President
Erdogan faces consequences for his behavior. Because President Trump
has failed to demonstrate American leadership in this regard, it is now
on Congress to step up and impose consequences on Turkey.
The PACT Act, which is this act, underscores the devastating
consequences of Turkey's invasion and President Trump's decision to
step back and let it happen. It employs targeted smart sanctions to
incentivize Erdogan to stop his military offensive, cease violence
against Syrian Kurdish communities, and withdraw from Syria.
These sanctions are specifically designed to target the Turkish
officials and institutions responsible for the bloodshed in Syria
without senselessly hurting the Turkish people. After all, it is
Erdogan, not the Turkish people, who is responsible for this horror.
Erdogan is an authoritarian thug. His rule has left a glaring black
mark on Turkey's historic secular, democratic traditions. We need to
pressure him while ramping up diplomacy in the hopes of getting Turkey
back on the right track as a NATO ally. That is one of the goals of
this measure.
This bipartisan legislation also requires the Trump administration to
develop concrete strategies for combating ISIS, protecting Syrian
Kurdish communities, and ensuring Syrians who partnered with American
forces, as well as NGOs and humanitarian organizations, can be safely
resettled in the United States.
This is a smart response to address the calamity caused by Turkish
forces in Syria. It is up to Congress to act to make it clear where the
American Government stands.
I want to thank my friend Ranking Member McCaul for working with me
to introduce this legislation, and I
[[Page H8572]]
hope all of our colleagues will join us in supporting it.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, October 28, 2019.
Hon. Richard E. Neal,
Committee on Ways and Means,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Neal: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
4695, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act. I
appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
legislation.
I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means under House
Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R.
4695 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge
that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill
does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the
matters contained in the bill that fall within your
jurisdiction. I will also support the appointment of
Committee on Ways and Means conferees during any House-Senate
conference convened on this legislation.
Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your
cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to
continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the
legislative process.
Sincerely,
Eliot L. Engel,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC, October 29, 2019.
Hon. Eliot L. Engel,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Engel: In recognition of the desire to
expedite consideration of H.R. 4695, the Protect Against
Conflict by Turkey (PACT) Act, the Committee on Ways and
Means agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill as to
provisions that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the
Committee on Ways and Means.
The Committee on Ways and Means takes this action with the
mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction
over the subject matter contained in this or similar
legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately
consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation
moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues
within our jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the
right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of
conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or
similar legislation.
Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter
confirming this understanding and would ask that a copy of
our exchange of letter on this matter be included in the
Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 4695.
Sincerely,
Richard E. Neal,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, October 28, 2019.
Hon. Maxine Waters,
Committee on Financial Services, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Waters: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
4695 the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act. I appreciate
your willingness to work cooperatively on this legislation.
I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Financial Services under
House Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on
H.R. 4695 to expedite floor consideration. I further
acknowledge that the inaction of your Committee with respect
to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim
over the matters contained in the bill that fall within your
jurisdiction. I also acknowledge that your Committee will be
appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar
legislation moves forward, and will support the appointment
of Committee on Financial Services conferees during any
House-Senate conference convened on this legislation.
Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your
cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to
continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the
legislative process.
Sincerely,
Eliot L. Engel,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Financial Services,
Washington, DC, October 29, 2019.
Hon. Elliot Engel,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of
Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing concerning H.R. 4695, the
``Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act'' or the ``PACT
Act'. In order to permit the H.R. 4695 to proceed
expeditiously to the House Floor, I agree to forgo formal
consideration of the bill.
The Committee on Financial Services takes this action to
forego formal consideration of H.R. 4695 with our mutual
understanding that, by foregoing formal consideration of H.R.
4695 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the
subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and
that our Committee will be appropriately consulted and
involved as this or similar legislation moves forward with
regard to any matters in the Committee's jurisdiction. The
Committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of an
appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this or similar legislation that
involves the Committee's jurisdiction and request your
support for any such request.
Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter
confirming this understanding, and I would ask that a copy of
our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the
Congressional Record during Floor consideration of H.R. 4695.
Sincerely,
Maxine Waters,
Chairwoman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Relations,
Washington, DC, October 28, 2019.
Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Nadler: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
4695, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act. I
appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this
legislation.
I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary under House
Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R.
4695 to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge
that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill
does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the
matters contained in the bill that fall within your
jurisdiction. I will also support the appointment of
Committee on the Judiciary conferees during any House-Senate
conference convened on this legislation.
Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your
cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to
continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the
legislative process.
Sincerely,
Eliot L. Engel,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, October 28, 2019.
Hon. Eliot L. Engel,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Engel: This is to advise you that the
Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to
review the provisions in H.R. 4695, the ``Protect Against
Conflict by Turkey Act'' that fall within our Rule X
jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those
provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your
including them in the bill for consideration on the House
floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo
action on H.R. 4695, with the understanding that we do not
thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those
provisions or their subject matters.
In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar
legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the
right to request an appropriate number of conferees to
address any concerns with these or similar provisions that
may arise in conference.
Please place this letter into the Congressional Record
during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank
you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked
regarding this matter and others between our committees.
Sincerely,
Jerrold Nadler,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC, October 28, 2019.
Hon. Carolyn B. Maloney,
Acting Chairwoman, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House
of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Maloney: I am writing to you concerning
H.R. 4695, the PACT Act. I appreciate your willingness to
work cooperatively on this legislation.
I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the
jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight and Reform under
House Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on
H.R. 4695 to expedite floor consideration. I further
acknowledge that the inaction of your Committee with respect
to the bill does not waive any future jurisdictional claim
over the matters contained in the bill that fall within your
jurisdiction. I will also support the appointment of
Committee on Oversight and Reform conferees during any House-
Senate conference convened on this legislation.
Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your
cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to
continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the
legislative process.
Sincerely,
Eliot L. Engel,
Chairman.
[[Page H8573]]
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Oversight and Reform,
Washington, DC, October 28, 2019.
Hon. Eliot Engel,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning H.R.
4605, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey (PACT) Act.
There are certain provisions in the legislation which fall
within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Oversight
and Reform.
In the interest of permitting your Committee to proceed
expeditiously on this bill, I am willing to waive this
Committee's right to sequential referral. I do so with the
understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the
Committee on Oversight and Reform does not waive any future
jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in
the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request
that you urge the Speaker to name Members of this Committee
to any conference committee which is named to consider such
provisions.
Please place this letter into the Congressional Record
during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank
you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked
regarding this matter and others between our respective
Committees.
Sincerely,
Carolyn B. Maloney,
Acting Chairwoman.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4695, the Protect Against
Conflict by Turkey Act.
The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi this past weekend is a major win in
our counter-ISIS campaign, and I congratulate our brave special
operators for a job well done, the men and women of our intelligence
community, and our President for a bold decision.
The world is better off without this sick and deranged leader of the
so-called caliphate. Baghdadi still has thousands of followers
committed to terrorism. While their leader's death is a huge blow, we
must stay vigilant to keep them from reconstituting or carrying out
attacks in the West and to our homeland.
With that, we cannot allow Turkey's invasion to hinder, in any way,
our counter-ISIS campaign.
My friend, Chairman Eliot Engel, and I coauthored this legislation to
give the White House additional congressional support to sanction
Turkey for its recent actions and the leverage to ensure Turkey upholds
the vital cease-fire negotiated by Vice President Pence.
In the President's own words: ``Should Turkey fail to honor its
obligations, including the protection of religious and ethnic
minorities . . . we reserve the right to reimpose crippling
sanctions.''
In addition, our bill ensures there are Presidential waivers to
provide flexibility for the administration on how almost all the
sanctions are administered.
This bill incentivizes Turkey to comply with the cease-fire. If they
do not, there will be consequences in the form of crippling sanctions.
Turkey is also a vital NATO partner, and I am hopeful they will cease
their destabilizing actions and act as a responsible partner.
With that in mind, let's recap how we got here today.
On October 9, Erdogan's forces charged across the border, unleashing
a potential humanitarian crisis for the people in northern Syria. The
assault has expanded Assad and Putin's grip on Syrian territory.
As I said 2 weeks ago, I am concerned this incursion will damage U.S.
interests in the Middle East and the Syrian people, including the
Kurds, our ally. The only beneficiaries of more violence and more chaos
in Syria are America's adversaries, and that is Vladimir Putin, Bashar
al-Assad, Iran, and terror groups like ISIS.
On October 17, the administration brokered a cease-fire with Turkey,
which has held to date. This has helped to stabilize the situation and
prevent a worst-case scenario from taking place. I applaud the Vice
President and Secretary Pompeo for that delicate negotiation with
President Erdogan, and I believe that our bipartisan resolution, which
disapproved of the Turkish incursion last week, I believe, helped in
these negotiations.
Our bill today--my bill with Mr. Engel--codifies the administration's
agreement in Ankara and will help to strengthen the President's hand in
ensuring that Turkey upholds its commitments.
Our bill imposes penalties on Turkey if it continues its offensive in
northern Syria. Specifically, it sanctions Turkish officials involved
in the military operation in Syria. It blocks U.S. weapons sales to
Turkey that could be used in Syria and sanctions foreign entities
selling such weapons to Turkey. It sanctions banks supporting Turkey's
defense sector in the Syria campaign.
Our bill also requires the administration to develop plans to adjust
our counterterrorism strategy to respond to the changing situation on
the ground.
I am pleased that the administration heard our call for a residual
force in Syria. I can think of nothing more dangerous than withdrawing
all of our troops in Syria, as we saw when we withdrew, under the
previous administration, from Iraq to 10,000 forces. That is when we
saw the rise of ISIS and the so-called caliphate.
We will have a residual force in Syria working with the SDF and the
Kurds to help defeat and make sure ISIS is never again a threat to the
homeland.
Finally, it identifies Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 system
as a transaction subject to sanctions under the Countering America's
Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA. That is very important.
How can you be a NATO ally and purchase Russian military equipment?
We let Turkey into NATO to protect them from the Soviet Union, and
now our NATO ally is buying Russian military equipment and, through its
invasion into Syria, threatening our allies.
For these reasons, I urge support of this bill and thank Chairman
Engel for, once again, coming to a bipartisan resolution. When, once
again, they said it couldn't be done, we got it done, and I thank him
for that.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his kind
words.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms.
Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I again rise with appreciation for the
chairman of this committee and the ranking member of this committee and
echo the importance of this bipartisan resolution.
I would like us to go down memory lane, for those of us who have had
the privilege of being here, including Mr. Engel.
We are reminded of a secular Turkey, a Turkey where all were
welcomed. We remember visiting some of the beautiful and wonderful
treasures of Turkey, as we met with government officials and heard them
reinforce their commitment to democracy, to the idea of freedom of
religion, and that is appropriate for a 70-year member of NATO.
We are very grateful for their commitment to NATO. There are many who
continue to advocate for Turkey's presence in NATO so that NATO could
be comprehensive and unique. But we find ourselves now in the grips of
a single-minded individual who does not see the beauty of democracy,
does not see the beauty of diversity and the welcoming of those from
many places to Turkey, or the orderly process and the strong role they
can play in the Mideast.
Yet, on a midnight call or a late-night call on a Sunday night,
speaking to this administration, the Turkish President didn't consult
or maybe offer options. What we have gleaned from the media is that
they said: We are coming into Syria.
In the midst of them coming into Syria, they created a humanitarian
crisis with fleeing women and children, destroying homes, taking people
away from their homeland, and just doing havoc.
There must be order in the world, respect and dignity, and a respect
for the sanctity of life.
I am glad to rise in support of this legislation, to target Turkey
for sanctions that will not be lifted until Turkey withdraws from
northern Syria.
The bill requires concrete strategies from the administration for
combating ISIS and protecting Syrian Kurdish communities and an
analysis of human rights violations committed by Turkish forces, as
well as a refugee program.
It goes with my earlier designation that this is a humanitarian
crisis in response to the needs of the people.
[[Page H8574]]
{time} 1545
This is not an act of war. This is to seek peace. This bill freezes
assets and imposes a mandatory visa ban against senior officials of
Turkey, including the Minister of National Defense, who apparently
would not listen.
Additionally, the PACT Act prohibits all arms transfers that Turkey
could use in Syria--bloodshed against the people, not peace.
Finally, the PACT Act imposed targeted sanctions on Halkbank, a
Turkish bank with ties to President Erdogan.
We would have wished to be around the diplomatic table to resolve the
issues in Syria. We might have been on the verge of doing that. There
was a calmness on the border, the northern border. We had a certain
number of troops.
Great opportunities remained before Turkey, but unwise and unilateral
decisions were made. Part of that was the withdrawing of our Armed
Forces from northern Syria.
But I think it is clear to those of us who do want peace that there
was a way of doing it. These sanctions should send a very strong
message to Syria that we are, one, recognizing the Kurds.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Crow). The time of the gentlewoman has
expired.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Texas an
additional 30 seconds.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. These sanctions should send a strong message to
Syria that, one, we in the United States take seriously the intrusion
of Turkey into the Kurdish area.
It should send a strong message to President Erdogan to recognize
that he cannot bully his way through in the region.
It should also send a strong message to Iran and Russia and to our
ISIS foes that America is serious about peace, but doing it in a manner
that provides as safe a pathway for peace as possible.
I would hope and would have wanted the decision that the President
made on the phone call never to have occurred. It did occur.
Unfortunately, President Erdogan was a partner in this, and we must
make a very strong statement that the United States will not stand for
this kind of bullying and that we will ensure that we will find peace,
but in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, with that, I support H.R. 4695.
Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary
and on Homeland Security, and as a sponsor of the legislation, I rise
in strong support of H.R. 4695, the ``Protect Against Conflict By
Turkey'' or PACT Act, and I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for their bipartisan
collaboration and hard work in bringing this important legislation to
the floor.
I strongly support the PACT Act because it holds Turkey accountable
for its brutal invasion of northern Syria and imposes against it tough,
targeted sanctions and highlights the negative consequences of Turkey's
invasion and the President's acquiescence to this act of aggression.
Under the legislation, most of the sanctions will not be lifted until
Turkey withdraws from northern Syria and the bill requires concrete
strategies from the Administration for combatting ISIS, protecting
Syrian Kurdish communities, an analysis of human rights violations
committed by Turkish forces as well as a refugee program designation
for Syrians who partnered with or worked directly for the U.S. in
Syria.
Specifically, the PACT Act freezes assets freezes and imposes a
mandatory visa ban against senior officials of Turkey, including the
Minister of National Defense, the Chief of General Staff of Turkish
military, the Commander of Turkish 2nd Army, which has led the Syrian
incursion; the Minister of Treasury and Finance, who by the way is
Turkey President Erdogan's son-in-law); and additional senior Turkish
defense officials involved in the invasion of Syria and anyone
committing human rights abuses.
Additionally, the PACT Act prohibits all arms transfers that Turkey
could use in Syria and makes unavailable the use of the emergency
provision of Arms Export Control Act (AECA) that the President might
otherwise have used to get around congressional holds on arms sales to
Turkey.
Finally, the PACT Act imposed targeted sanctions on Halkbank, a
Turkish bank with ties to President Erdogan, and additional Turkish
banks facilitating transactions for the Turkish military's operations
in Syria.
Mr. Speaker, I have devoted my congressional career working to
advance initiatives that will bring peace to troubled regions of the
globe.
For example, I strongly supported the two-state solution to bring
peace between Palestinians and Israelis.
Similarly, I worked with my colleagues and the executive branch to
end the genocide and bloodshed in Darfur and for peace, stability, and
reconciliation in Afghanistan.
About this time two years ago, I had just returned from important
meetings in the Middle East where I was part of an eight-member
congressional delegation to the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
Mr. Speaker, the unwise and unilateral decision to withdraw U.S.
armed forces from Northern Syria and abandon the Kurds, perhaps our
most indispensable ally in the region is a mistake of incalculable
damage.
Instead of furthering United States interests, the decision to
withdraw American troops from Northern Syria undermines them and
emboldens Russia, Iran, Syria, and ISIS, all implacable foes of the
United States.
At the same time the decision squanders the progress made to date by
the United States, working with the Kurds, to defeat ISIS and destroy
its caliphate and props up the bloody Assad regime in Syria and puts at
risk thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
Mr. Speaker, the President's decision weakens the United States
because trusted allies will no longer rely upon the commitment of our
country to defend freedom or keep its word, and worst of all, it
consigns the Kurds, our devoted and dedicated friends, to certain death
and carnage at the hands of the Turkish military under the leadership
of autocrat President Recep Erdogan.
I urge the President, as Commander-in-Chief, to reinstate and resume
the tried and true practice of orderly and systematic consultation with
national security professionals, specifically the Secretary of State,
the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
the intelligence community, our key allies and foreign policy experts.
For nearly 75 years, since the end of World War II, the United States
has been the indispensable nation in the world and because of the
leadership asserted by the United States, international peace has been
preserved and global conflagration avoided.
This task has never been easy or inexpensive, except when compared to
the alternative of violence, bloodshed, and chaos.
President Kennedy recognized this and observed in his 1961 Inaugural
Address that ``In the long history of the world, only a few generations
have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum
danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it.''
I urge all Members to join me in voting for this critically important
bipartisan legislation, vote to pass the PACT Act.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I offer congratulations again to Chairman
Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for this very important Turkey
sanctions bill.
Mr. Speaker, for nearly 13 years, I have felt like I have been one of
the lone voices in the wilderness decrying the actions of Turkey as it
systematically denies its citizens basic human rights by invading and
occupying an EU country, the Republic of Cyprus; stripping religious
minorities of their religious freedom; persecuting journalists and
academics for writing about the Armenian genocide; and invading and
provoking hostilities on a daily basis in the Eastern Mediterranean.
As co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Caucus, I am
especially grateful for this PACT Act calling for the administration to
outline how it will assist religious and ethnic minorities affected by
war crimes perpetrated by Prime Minister Erdogan.
Additionally, in my role as co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus, I have
called for the administration to halt the delivery of F-35s to Turkey,
given its purchase of Russia's S-400 missile defense system.
I am pleased this bill goes further and imposes 231 sanctions for
Turkey's intransigence.
I urge support of this legislation so that we can send a unified,
bipartisan message to Turkey that, if you want to be considered a
strategic ally of the United States, a true ally, you have to act like
one.
Mr. Speaker, I want to again thank the chairman, the ranking member,
and the entire Foreign Affairs Committee for bringing up this very
important bill.
[[Page H8575]]
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Hurd).
Mr. HURD of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for
yielding, and I am proud to rise today in support of the bipartisan
PACT Act to hold Turkey accountable for its destabilizing and dangerous
decision to invade northern Syria and attack America's Kurdish allies.
After years of fighting side by side with American forces against
ISIS, Syrian Kurds are now under siege and fleeing their homes.
According to the United Nations, over 180,000 people have been
displaced, including 80,000 children. Many are fleeing to the Kurdistan
region of Iraq, which already hosts over 200,000 refugees from the
Syrian civil war.
Turkey's reckless actions have created a humanitarian crisis that
will strain our partners in the region and provide ISIS with an
opportunity to reemerge as a threat to the United States.
The international community must come together to provide assistance
to Kurds and refugees in both Syria and Iraq.
The U.S. Special Envoy for Syria also told Congress last week that
there have been several incidents of potential war crimes committed by
Turkey or its proxies, including the use of white phosphorus, which can
be used as a chemical weapon on civilians and in extrajudicial
killings.
We cannot stand idly by while Turkey undermines the fight against
ISIS, attacks our Kurdish allies, and puts hundreds of thousands of
innocent civilians in harm's way.
These sanctions are an appropriate response that holds Turkey
responsible for its actions and provides incentives for President
Erdogan to change course.
One thing I learned during my time as an undercover officer in the
CIA is that America only succeeds when our enemies fear us and our
allies trust us.
As members of NATO, both the U.S. and Turkey have committed to unite
their efforts for collective defense and for preservation of peace and
security. I hope our Turkish counterparts will recommit to these
principles and work with us to address shared security concerns and
protect the successes of joint U.S.-Kurdish efforts to drive ISIS out
of Syria.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friends, the gentleman from New York and the
gentleman from Texas, for their work and their commitment on this
important, bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. KINZINGER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding.
It is sad that we are here. As a military member, I spent some time
at the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey in `06, or maybe a little before in
`05. I think we all, as Members of this body, have probably been there
in our travels and see some amazing potential for a country that really
straddles two continents and plays such an important role in the
future. But it is sad to see what has happened.
So, I reluctantly have to rise today in support of H.R. 4695, the
Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act, also known as the PACT Act.
I cosponsored this because I am worried about the direction of
President Erdogan and the direction he is taking the Republic of
Turkey.
The leader of a country with so much to offer the world should not be
cozying up to the likes of Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad--Vladimir
Putin, who oversees a failing nation, quite honestly, and is not the
future. Yet that is exactly what Erdogan is doing when he decided to
invade Syria.
Far too many men, women, and children have died at the hands of
Assad, Putin, and Khamenei.
It is unthinkable that a leader of a NATO nation will be joining the
list of murderous thugs; but, given the latest developments in Syria,
many of our Kurdish partners will likely die because of Erdogan's
offensive.
These are the same Kurdish fighters who, while we lost less than 20
soldiers in the fight against ISIS from combat, lost over 10,000 of
their own men and women.
These are the same Kurdish fighters who spent the past 5 years
hunting ISIS leader Abu al-Baghdadi alongside our men and women in
uniform, and we saw that come to fruition in a great way this weekend.
Without their constant pressure on the ISIS networks, our operators
may have never had the chance to bring him to justice--not to mention
the fact that Turkey, inevitably, threatened to attack our troops in
northern Syria.
That is why I am proud to cosponsor this. By applying targeted
sanctions against those directly responsible for the operations, we are
sending a message to the Erdogan government that the U.S. will hold
them liable for their actions. If he does not want to act like a NATO
nation, then his government will feel the repercussions of such
decisions.
I thank Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul for their steadfast
leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I commend them for
their ability to work in a bipartisan manner to advance measures in
America's interest.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Pelosi), our Speaker of the House.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
thank Mr. Engel, distinguished chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, and the distinguished ranking member of the committee, Mr.
McCaul, for their leadership in bringing this important, bipartisan
bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, 3 weeks ago the President unleashed an
escalation of chaos and insecurity in Syria when he gave Turkey the
green light to attack our Kurdish partners, threatening lives, risking
regional security, and undermining America's credibility as a
trustworthy ally.
And then, instead of holding Turkey accountable for its aggression,
the President reversed his sanctions in exchange for a so-called cease-
fire, which the Turks clearly stated was not a cease-fire.
Today, Democrats and Republicans come together to demonstrate the
strong, smart leadership that has sorely been lacking from the White
House, as the House passed this tough, targeted sanctions bill to hold
the Turks accountable for their attacks on our Kurdish partners.
We salute Chairman Engel and Ranking Member McCaul once again for
their leadership on this PACT Act and on the resolution opposing
President Trump's decision on Syria, including H.J. Res. 77, a
bipartisan, bicameral resolution which passed the House on a 354-60
vote.
Here are the facts:
Our Kurdish partners freed millions of people and tens of thousands
of square miles from the grip of ISIS. Throughout the fight, they
sustained nearly 11,000 casualties.
Until recently, our Kurdish partners protected America's security and
the security of the region as more than 10,000 ISIS fighters and tens
of thousands of ISIS family members were under their control.
Yet, in a matter of weeks, the President has put our progress at
risk. Even with the death of al-Baghdadi, ISIS remains a serious and
resurgent threat. The death of a top ISIS leader does not mean the
death of ISIS.
Scores of fighters remain under uncertain conditions in Syrian
prisons and at risk of a jailbreak. Nearly 800 ISIS supporters and
family members have reportedly escaped. To say that Turkey and Syria
still adequately guard the prisoners is outrageous and dangerous.
At the same time, more than 250,000 Kurdish civilians have fled their
homes because of Turkish attacks. Dozens of civilians, in addition to
possibly hundreds of brave Kurdish fighters, have been killed.
The only winners from the President's disastrous decision in Syria
are ISIS, the Syrian Government, Iran, and Russia.
With these targeted, strong sanctions, America is holding accountable
top Turkish officials responsible for human rights abuses, including
attacking our Kurdish partners.
We are penalizing Turkish financial institutions that perpetuate
President Erdogan's corruption and abuses, and
[[Page H8576]]
are preventing the sale of arms to Turkey for use in Syria.
As the House passes this legislation, we again call upon the
President to support the Kurdish communities and work to ensure that
the Turkish military acts with restraint, and we require the Trump
administration to finally present a clear strategy to defeat ISIS.
Mr. Speaker, I know we have bipartisan support for this legislation.
Again, I salute Ranking Member McCaul and Chairman Engel for bringing
this legislation to the floor, which is a vote to support the sacrifice
of our military and our allies and a vote to restore strength,
strategy, and sanity to our national security policy.
I think that a very strong, bipartisan vote in the House, similar to
the one we had on H.J. Res. 77, will send a very clear message that we
can come together--and we will come together--in the interest of our
national security; in the interest of Americans' values, which are part
of our strength; and, again, to fight terrorism wherever it exists so
that it does not reach our shores.
{time} 1600
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to echo Madam Speaker's comments. When we stand united on the
floor of the Congress, as Americans, that is when we send the strongest
message overseas to adversaries.
I want to thank Mr. Engel for his strong work in working with me to
get to a positive place where we can actually get to a solution to what
has been a challenging and very fluid situation. It is always an honor
to work with the gentleman on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
In these times of crises we are, I believe, strongest on the world
stage when the executive and legislative branch speak in one voice.
In his testimony before our committee, Ambassador Jeffrey, the
Special Envoy to Syria said:
I saw firsthand the effect of congressional sanctions when
we visited with the Turkish negotiating team; that these
sanctions have been helpful in getting the Turks to agree to
the cease-fire.
And I believe the resolution that we passed helped get Turkey to the
cease-fire as well.
Finally, I want to thank our partners in the Syrian Democratic Forces
for their ongoing dedication to countering ISIS. And I want to say to
the SDF, from the Nation's Capitol, on the House floor, that the
American people are grateful for everything you have done for us, for
everything you have worked for, and everything you have sacrificed to
keep the world safer.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this important
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume
for the purpose of closing.
I would like to again thank Ranking Member McCaul for his partnership
in writing this important bipartisan bill. And it is even more than
just a partnership. It is working together on both sides of the aisle
to do good for the American people. That is really what this should all
be about, particularly when we are talking about foreign affairs. So I
want to thank Mr. McCaul for working closely with me and for really
making this a real collaborative bill.
The measure before us represents what the Foreign Affairs Committee
does best, bipartisan, commonsense legislation that advances American
interests and American values on the global stage.
The PACT Act holds Turkey accountable for its bloodshed in Syria. It
calls on Erdogan to immediately stop his campaign of ethnic cleansing
to expel Syrian Kurds and other minority groups from their homeland,
and to start living up to the democratic values that we expect from a
NATO ally, values that, right now, are under constant attack in Turkey.
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad coincidence. Today is the 96th anniversary
of the founding of the Republic of Turkey. For nearly a century, the
Turkish people have fought hard to grow and preserve democracy in their
country, and Erdogan has done such incredible damage to that legacy.
I call on all my colleagues to join me and Mr. McCaul in supporting
this legislation and sending a strong message that the United States
Congress will not condone Turkey's horrific atrocities against the
Kurds. Not only will we not condone it, we oppose it; we will speak out
about it; and we will try in every way we can to stop it.
I urge my colleagues to support this very important measure, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 4695, 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. ENGEL. 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, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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