[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 188 (Tuesday, November 14, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S5510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 462--EMPHASIZING THE URGENCY OF RESPONDING TO ATTACKS 
IN ISRAEL AND THE GREATER REGION FROM THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN AND 
                  ITS PROXIES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Britt, 
Mr. Thune, Ms. Collins, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Manchin, and Mrs. Gillibrand) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 462

       Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the Islamic 
     Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has provided financing, 
     training, and other forms of support to Hamas, Hezbollah, 
     Ansar Allah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and other 
     proxies;
       Whereas the current leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, has 
     publicly confirmed and lauded the support the group receives 
     from the Islamic Republic of Iran, stating ``I give thanks to 
     those who provided funds and weaponry to the courageous 
     resistance, the Islamic Republic of Iran, [which] has not 
     skimped in extending funds, weaponry, and technology to the 
     resistance'';
       Whereas, on October 8, 1997, the Secretary of State 
     designated Hamas and Hezbollah foreign terrorist 
     organizations in accordance with section 219 of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189);
       Whereas, on September 20, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister 
     Benjamin Netanyahu stated that ``we can forge a historic 
     peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia'' and Prime Minister 
     and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman stated 
     that ``[e]very day we get closer'' to normalizing relations 
     with Israel;
       Whereas, on October 7, 2023, in part to derail the 
     normalization process, Hamas launched an unprovoked attack 
     against the State of Israel, brutally murdering over 1,200 
     innocent men, women, and children, while injuring thousands 
     more;
       Whereas, on October 7, 2023, Hamas committed war crimes by 
     taking hundreds of innocent civilians hostage, including 
     babies, children, women, elderly, and Holocaust survivors, 
     and has proceeded to place innocent civilians around key 
     locations as human shields;
       Whereas, on October 8, 2023, Israel officially declared war 
     on Hamas;
       Whereas, on October 10, 2023, the USS Gerald R. Ford 
     Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea 
     to deter additional actors, including the Islamic Republic of 
     Iran, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, the IRGC, and other 
     proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran from escalating 
     tensions in the region;
       Whereas, on October 14, 2023, the Department of Defense 
     announced the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group 
     would be repositioned to join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier 
     Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas, on October 19, 2023, the USS Carney intercepted 
     missiles and drones that were launched by Iranian-backed 
     Houthi militias towards Israel;
       Whereas, on October 25, 2023, it was reported that in the 
     weeks leading up to Hamas' attack on Israel, roughly 500 
     Hamas and PIJ militants received specialized combat training 
     in the Islamic Republic of Iran from officers of the Quds 
     Force, the foreign-operations arm of the IRGC;
       Whereas United States troops and personnel stationed in 
     Iraq and Syria have come under rocket and drone attack 
     numerous times since October 7, 2023, resulting in the injury 
     of over 50 servicemembers;
       Whereas, on October 26, 2023, in response to attacks 
     against United States troops and personnel in Iraq and Syria, 
     the President of the United States authorized precision 
     strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by the IRGC 
     and affiliated groups;
       Whereas, on November 9, 2023, the President of the United 
     States authorized a precision strike on an IRGC weapons 
     storage site in Syria to clearly communicate that there 
     should be no escalation of hostilities in the region and that 
     the President has no higher priority than the safety of 
     United States troops and personnel;
       Whereas, on November 12, 2023, the United States conducted 
     precision strikes against a training facility and a safe 
     house in eastern Syria used by the IRGC and affiliated 
     groups;
       Whereas Hezbollah reportedly has at least 150,000 missiles, 
     some of which are precision-guided, that could be launched at 
     Israel without warning, overwhelm the Iron Dome air defense 
     system, and greatly expand the conflict;
       Whereas Hamas, through its actions, has proven its goal is 
     to destroy Israel, eradicate the Jewish population, undermine 
     peace and normalization efforts in the region, cause severe 
     economic decline and political unrest in the region, and 
     curtail future investments that would allow Israel and other 
     Middle Eastern states to grow and prosper; and
       Whereas the Biden Administration must continue to clearly 
     communicate to the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the 
     IRGC, that further attacks on Israel, the United States, or 
     partners and allies by the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hamas, 
     Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, or other proxies of the Islamic 
     Republic of Iran are unacceptable: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the President's efforts to deter the Islamic 
     Republic of Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, 
     PIJ, and other proxies from expanding the ongoing conflict, 
     and recognizes deterrence is most credible when the President 
     keeps all options on the table, including the use of military 
     force in accordance with constitutional processes;
       (2) recognizes Israel's right to self-defense and its 
     operations to ensure Hamas can never again terrorize innocent 
     Israelis and Palestinians;
       (3) encourages the President to work to secure the safe 
     release and return of all hostages held by Hamas;
       (4) commends the President's decision to position military 
     and diplomatic assets in the region to deter escalation of 
     the conflict by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the IRGC, 
     Hamas, Hezbollah, Ansar Allah, PIJ, and other proxies of the 
     Islamic Republic of Iran in Iraq or Syria;
       (5) recognizes that all responsible nations agree that 
     Hamas is a terrorist organization that must be fought, 
     dismantled and prevented from having the capacity to further 
     terrorize Israel and the region; and
       (6) urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the 
     support of the United States, to continue diplomatic 
     negotiations to normalize relations and establish lasting 
     peace, prosperity, and stability in the Middle East.

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