[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 141 (Wednesday, September 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5986-S5989]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3251. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SECTION 1228. SUPPORTING SYRIAN CIVILIANS.

       (a) Short Titles.--This section may be cited as the 
     ``Supporting Syrian Civilians Act'' or the ``Caesar Act 
     2.0''.
       (b) Modifications to the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection 
     Act of 2019.--
       (1) Caesar syria civilian protection act of 2019.--Section 
     7412(a) of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 
     (title LXXIV of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2020; 22 U.S.C. 8791 note) is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``the President shall 
     impose'' and all that follows and inserting the following: 
     ``the President--
       ``(A) shall impose the sanctions described in subsection 
     (b) with respect to a foreign person that the President 
     determines--
       ``(i) knowingly engages, on or after such date of 
     enactment, in an activity described in paragraph (2); or
       ``(ii) is owned or controlled by a foreign person described 
     in clause (i); and
       ``(B) may impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) 
     with respect to a foreign person that the Secretary of State 
     determines knowingly provides, on or after such date of 
     enactment, significant financial, material, or technological 
     support to a foreign person engaging in an activity described 
     in any of subparagraphs (B) through (H) of paragraph (2).'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (A)--

       (I) by amending clause (i) to read as follows:

       ``(i) the Government of Syria (including any entity owned 
     or controlled by the Government of Syria), a senior political 
     figure of the Government of Syria, a member of the People's 
     Assembly of Syria, or a senior foreign political figure (as 
     defined in section 101.605 of title 31, Code of Federal 
     Regulations) of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party of Syria, 
     including any such senior foreign political figure who is a 
     member of the Central Command, Central Committee, or Auditing 
     and Inspection Committee of such Party;'';

       (II) in clause (ii), by striking ``; or'' and inserting a 
     semicolon;
       (III) in clause (iii), by striking the semicolon at the end 
     and inserting ``; or''; and
       (IV) by adding at the end the following:

       ``(iv) Syria Arab Airlines, Cham Wings, or any foreign 
     person owned or controlled by Syria Arab Airlines or Cham 
     Wings;'';
       (ii) by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:
       ``(C) knowingly sells or provides aircraft or spare 
     aircraft parts--
       ``(i) to the Government of Syria; or
       ``(ii) on behalf of the Government of Syria to any foreign 
     person operating in an area directly or indirectly controlled 
     by the Government of Syria or foreign forces under the 
     direction or control of the Government of Syria;'';
       (iii) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (iv) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting a semicolon; and
       (v) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(F) purposefully engages in or directs--
       ``(i) the significant diversion of valuable goods 
     (including agricultural commodities, food, medicine, and 
     medical devices) or any international humanitarian assistance 
     intended for the people of Syria; or
       ``(ii) the dealing in the significant misappropriation of 
     proceeds from the sale or resale of such significant diverted 
     goods or international humanitarian assistance, as the case 
     may be;
       ``(G) knowingly engages in, or attempts to engage in, the 
     significant seizure, confiscation, theft, or expropriation 
     for personal gain or political purposes of significant 
     property, including real property, in Syria or owned by a 
     citizen of Syria; or
       ``(H) knowingly and directly engages in, or attempts to 
     engage in, a transaction or transactions for or with seized, 
     confiscated, stolen, or expropriated property described in 
     subparagraph (G).''.
       (2) Report on caesar syria civilian protection act of 
     2019.--
       (A) Defined term.--In this paragraph, the term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (i) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (ii) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
     of the Senate;
       (iii) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (iv) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (B) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the 
     following 3 years, the Secretary of the Treasury, with the 
     concurrence of the Secretary of State, shall submit a report 
     to the appropriate congressional committees describing the 
     implementation of sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian 
     Protection Act of 2019, as amended by this section.

[[Page S5987]]

       (C) Elements.--Each report submitted pursuant to 
     subparagraph (B) shall describe--
       (i) all individuals or entities sanctioned under the 
     authorities granted by the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection 
     Act of 2019;
       (ii) all individuals and entities determined to be eligible 
     for sanction under the authorities granted by the Caesar 
     Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 who have not yet been 
     sanctioned under such authorities;
       (iii) all individuals and entities currently under 
     consideration for sanction under the authorities granted by 
     the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019; and
       (iv) the steps taken to explain to financial institutions 
     sanctions liability under the authorities granted by the 
     Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 and the date 
     such steps were taken.
       (D) Form.--Each report required under subparagraph (B) 
     shall be submitted in an unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex that is submitted separately from the 
     unclassified report.
       (3) Exceptions.--Section 7432 of the Caesar Syria Civilian 
     Protection Act of 2019 (22 U.S.C. 8791 note) is amended to 
     read as follows:

     ``SEC. 7432. EXCEPTIONS.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Agricultural commodity.--The term `agricultural 
     commodity' has the meaning given such term in section 102 of 
     the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602).
       ``(2) Good.--The term `good' means any article, natural or 
     manmade substance, material, supply, or manufactured product, 
     including inspection and test equipment, and excluding 
     technical data.
       ``(3) Medical device.--The term `medical device' has the 
     meaning given the term `device' in section 201 of the Federal 
     Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).
       ``(4) Medicine.--The term `medicine' has the meaning given 
     the term `drug' in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
     Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).
       ``(b) Exception to Comply With United Nations Headquarters 
     Agreement and Law Enforcement Activities.--Sanctions under 
     this Act shall not apply with respect to the admission of an 
     alien to the United States if admitting or paroling such 
     alien into the United States is necessary--
       ``(1) 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; or
       ``(2) to carry out or assist authorized law enforcement 
     activity in the United States.
       ``(c) Exception to Comply With Intelligence Activities.--
     Sanctions under this Act shall not apply to any activity 
     subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the 
     National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) or any 
     authorized intelligence activities of the United States.
       ``(d) Humanitarian Assistance.--Sanctions under this Act 
     shall not apply to--
       ``(1) the conduct or facilitation of a transaction for the 
     provision of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, 
     medical devices, or humanitarian assistance, or for other 
     humanitarian purposes; or
       ``(2) transactions that are necessary for, or related to, 
     the activities described in paragraph (1).''.
       (4) Extension of sunset.--Section 7438 of the Caesar Syria 
     Civilian Protection Act of 2019 is amended by striking ``the 
     date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act'' and inserting ``December 31, 2028''.
       (5) Determinations with respect to the syria trust for 
     development.--
       (A) Defined term.--In this paragraph, the term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (i) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (ii) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
     of the Senate;
       (iii) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (iv) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (B) Determinations.--Not later than 120 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the President shall--
       (i) determine whether the nonprofit organization chaired by 
     Asma Al-Assad, the First Lady of Syria, known as the ``Syria 
     Trust for Development'' meets the criteria for the imposition 
     of sanctions--

       (I) under section 7412(a) of the Caesar Syria Civilian 
     Protection Act of 2019, as amended by paragraph (1);
       (II) under Executive Order 13894 (84 Fed. Reg. 55851; 
     relating to blocking property and suspending entry of certain 
     persons contributing to the situation in Syria); or
       (III) by nature of being owned or controlled by a person 
     designated under any executive order or regulation 
     administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control; and

       (ii) submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
     each such determination, including a justification for the 
     determination.
       (C) Form.--Each determination required to be submitted 
     under subparagraph (B)(ii) shall be submitted in unclassified 
     form, but the justification specified in such paragraph may 
     be included in a classified annex. The unclassified 
     determination shall be made available on a publicly available 
     website of the Federal Government.
       (c) Statement of Policy Regarding the Prohibition of 
     Recognition of the Assad Regime.--It is the policy of the 
     United States--
       (1) to not recognize or normalize relations with any 
     Government of Syria that is led by Bashar al-Assad due to the 
     Assad regime's ongoing crimes against the Syrian people, 
     including failure to meet the criteria outlined in section 
     7431(a) of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 
     (22 U.S.C. 8791 note);
       (2) to actively oppose recognition or normalization of 
     relations by other governments with any Government of Syria 
     that is led by Bashar Al-Assad, including by fully 
     implementing the mandatory primary and secondary sanctions in 
     the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 and 
     Executive Order 13894 (84 Fed. Reg. 55851; relating to 
     blocking property and suspending entry of certain persons 
     contributing to the situation in Syria);
       (3) to continue to actively advance the national interests 
     of the United States in Syria, including--
       (A) counterterrorism and counternarcotic operations;
       (B) the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian 
     people, including earthquake-related early recovery; and
       (C) significant diplomatic efforts towards the advancement 
     of a political solution to the Syrian conflict in adherence 
     with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015); 
     and
       (4) to take all necessary steps to secure--
       (A) the release of Austin Tice and other hostages and 
     unjustly detained United States nationals within Syria; and
       (B) the repatriation of the remains of United States 
     nationals killed by the Assad regime or by the Islamic State 
     in Syria, including Majd Kamalmaz, Kayla Mueller, James 
     Foley, Peter Kassig, and Steven Sotloff.
       (d) Interagency Strategy to Counter Normalization With 
     Assad Regime.--
       (1) Definitions.--In this section:
       (A) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (i) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (ii) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;
       (iii) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
     of the Senate;
       (iv) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (v) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (vi) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (B) Covered transaction.--The term ``covered transaction'' 
     means a transaction, including an investment, grant, 
     contract, or donation (including a loan or other extension of 
     credit) by a foreign person that is a representative, 
     citizen, or entity incorporated exclusively under the laws of 
     the Republic of Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, 
     Jordan, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi 
     Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, or Lebanon to a 
     recipient located in any area of Syria controlled by the 
     Assad regime.
       (2) Report required.--
       (A) Submission.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for a 
     period not to exceed 3 years, the Secretary of State, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the heads 
     of other appropriate Federal departments and agencies, shall 
     submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees 
     that describes--
       (i) the steps taken or planned to be taken by foreign 
     governments to normalize or upgrade political, diplomatic, or 
     economic ties with the regime led by Bashar al-Assad in Syria 
     (referred to in this Act as the ``Assad regime''); and
       (ii) the actions taken by the United States Government to 
     counter such steps.
       (B) Elements.--The report submitted pursuant to 
     subparagraph (A) shall include--
       (i) a description of--

       (I) violations of international law and human rights abuses 
     committed by Bashar al-Assad, the Government of the Russian 
     Federation, or the Government of Iran; and
       (II) progress made towards achieving justice for the Syrian 
     people and accountability for the violators;

       (ii) a list, including the identification of--

       (I) any single covered transaction exceeding $2,500,000; 
     and
       (II) any combination of covered transactions by the same 
     source within a 12-month period that exceed $2,500,000, in 
     the aggregate;

       (iii) for each identified single transaction or aggregate 
     transactions, as the case may be, included in the list 
     described in clause (ii), a determination of whether such 
     transaction subjects any of the parties to the transaction to 
     sanctions under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 
     2019, as amended by subsection (b);
       (iv) a description of the steps the United States is taking 
     to actively deter recognition or normalization of relations 
     by other governments with the Assad regime, including 
     specific diplomatic engagements and the use of economic 
     sanctions authorized by Federal statutes or implemented 
     through Executive Orders, including--

       (I) the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 (22 
     U.S.C. 8791 note);
       (II) the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty 
     Restoration Act (22 U.S.C. 2151 note);

[[Page S5988]]

       (III) the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and 
     Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.);
       (IV) Executive Order 13894 (84 Fed. Reg. 55851; relating to 
     blocking property and suspending entry of certain persons 
     contributing to the situation in Syria);
       (V) the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act 
     (22 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.);
       (VI) the Countering American Adversaries through Sanctions 
     Act (22 U.S.C. 9401 et seq.); and
       (VII) the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (title 
     VIII of Public Law 106-120; 21 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.); and

       (v) an assessment of how recognition of, or normalization 
     of relations with, the Assad regime by other governments 
     impacts--

       (I) the national security of the United States;
       (II) the material benefits of such recognition or 
     normalization to the Assad regime;
       (III) the normalizing government prospects for the 
     implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 
     2254;
       (IV) prospects for justice and accountability for war 
     crimes in Syria; and
       (V) the benefits derived by the Government of the Russian 
     Federation or the Government of Iran.

       (3) Temporal scope.--The initial report required under 
     paragraph (2) shall address the period beginning on January 
     1, 2022, and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
     Each subsequent report shall address the 1-year period 
     immediately following the last day covered by the most 
     recently submitted report.
       (4) Form.--Each report required under paragraph (2) shall 
     be submitted in an unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex.
       (e) Reports on Manipulation of United Nations by the Assad 
     Regime in Syria.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for a 
     period not to exceed 5 years, the Secretary of State shall 
     submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives that describes the manipulation of the United 
     Nations by the Assad regime, including--
       (A) a description of conditions, both explicit and 
     implicit, set by the Assad regime with respect to United 
     Nations operations in Syria, including with respect to 
     implementing partners, hiring practices, allocation of grants 
     and contracts, and procurement of goods and services;
       (B) the identification of officials or employees of the 
     United Nations (including funds, programs, and specialized 
     agencies of the United Nations) with ties to the Assad 
     regime, or persons designated for sanctions by United Nations 
     donor countries;
       (C) an account of access restrictions imposed by the Assad 
     regime and the overall impact of such restrictions on the 
     ability of the United Nations to equitably deliver 
     international assistance to target beneficiaries in areas 
     outside the control of the Assad regime;
       (D) a description of ways in which United Nations aid 
     directly benefits the Assad regime and its associates;
       (E) a description of the due diligence mechanisms and 
     vetting procedures in place to ensure entities contracted by 
     the United Nations to ensure goods, supplies, or services 
     provided to Syria do not have links to the Assad regime, 
     known human rights abusers, or persons designated for 
     sanctions by United Nations donor countries;
       (F) the identification of entities affiliated with the 
     Assad regime (including the Syria Trust for Development and 
     the Syrian Arab Red Crescent), foreign government ministries, 
     and private corporations owned or controlled by the Assad 
     regime, which have received United Nations funding, 
     contracts, or grants or have otherwise entered into a 
     formalized partnership with the United Nations;
       (G) an assessment of how the Assad regime sets arbitrary or 
     punitive exchange rates to extract funding from the United 
     Nations, and the total amount extracted by such means; and
       (H) a strategy for--
       (i) reducing the ability of the Assad regime to manipulate 
     or otherwise influence the United Nations and other aid 
     operations in Syria; and
       (ii) ensuring that United States and international aid is 
     delivered in a neutral and impartial manner consistent with 
     basic humanitarian principles.
       (2) Form.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified 
     annex.
       (f) Briefing Before Force Posture Change.--Not later than 
     15 days before any decision to withdraw United States forces 
     from any part of Syria where such forces are being deployed, 
     the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall 
     jointly brief the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, 
     and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
     Representatives on the likely impacts of such withdrawal.
       (g) Economic Support Funds for Syria.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) the humanitarian situation in areas of northwest Syria 
     that are not controlled by the Assad regime remains dire, 
     which is due in large part to ongoing attacks, diversion of 
     cross-line assistance, and corruption by the Assad regime;
       (B) Syrian refugees and their host communities--
       (i) are under significant strain due to the prolonged 
     conflict in Syria; and
       (ii) require significant assistance from the international 
     community;
       (C) it remains unsafe for Syrian refugees to return to 
     Syria absent a formal cessation of hostilities and 
     significant implementation of the principles laid out in 
     United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 (2015);
       (D) the forced return of Syrian refugees to Syria absent 
     their consent or the aforementioned conditions violates the 
     principle of non-refoulement; and
       (E) host countries must not forcibly return refugees to 
     Syria without their consent absent a formal cessation of 
     hostilities and significant implementation of the principles 
     laid out in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 
     (2015).
       (2) Statement of policy.--It is the policy of the United 
     States--
       (A) to provide humanitarian funding to northwest Syria 
     outside of mechanisms controlled by the Assad regime;
       (B) to maintain basic services for communities in northwest 
     Syria outside of Assad regime control;
       (C) to oppose the refoulement or otherwise forcible return 
     of Syrian refugees and provide significant assistance to 
     Syrian refugees and their host communities; and
       (D) to work with partners and allies to support the efforts 
     described in subparagraphs (A) through (C).
       (3) Authorization of appropriations for humanitarian 
     assistance for northwest syria.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated, in addition to amounts already appropriated for 
     such purpose, $10,000,000 in Economic Support Funds for the 
     Syria Civil Defense (commonly known as the ``White 
     Helmets'').
       (4) Report and strategy on stabilization funding for 
     northwest syria.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in 
     coordination with the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, shall submit a report 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
     that assesses--
       (i) the feasibility of providing stabilization funding to 
     areas of northwest Syria that are not under the control the 
     Assad regime; and
       (ii) the risks that such funds will be diverted and steps 
     to counter such risks.
       (B) Form.--The report required under subparagraph (A) shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex.
       (5) Authorization of appropriations.--
       (A)  Stabilization assistance for northwest syria.--
       (i) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
     $20,000,000 in Economic Support Funds for stabilization 
     funding in areas of northwest Syria that are not under the 
     control of the Assad Regime.
       (ii) Briefing required.--None of the funds appropriated 
     pursuant to clause (i) may be expended until a senior 
     official of the Department of State provides a briefing 
     regarding such expenditure to--

       (I) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (II) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
       (III) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (IV) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives.

       (B) Funds for syrian refugees and host communities.--There 
     is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 in Economic 
     Support Funds to support Syrian refugees and host communities 
     in the Middle East and North Africa.
       (h) Countering Captagon Trafficking.--
       (1) Report on strategy implementation.--
       (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the 
     following 3 years, the Secretary of State shall submit a 
     report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives describing the implementation of the strategy 
     submitted by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 
     1238(c) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263).
       (B) Elements.--Each report required under subparagraph (A) 
     shall include--
       (i) the amount of funds obligated for the previous fiscal 
     year in support of the strategy referred to in such 
     subparagraph; and
       (ii) a description of how such funds have supported each of 
     the elements described in such strategy.
       (C) Form.--Each report required under subparagraph (A) 
     shall be submitted in an unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex that is transmitted separately from the 
     unclassified report.
       (2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated, in addition to any funds already 
     appropriated for such purpose, $10,000,000 from the 
     International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE) 
     account to counter the production and trafficking of Captagon 
     in the Middle East and North Africa, especially such 
     trafficking carried out by the Assad Regime and Hezbollah.

[[Page S5989]]

       (i) Briefing on Steps to Free Austin Tice and Repatriate 
     American Remains From Syria.--
       (1) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (A) Austin Tice, an American journalist, was kidnaped on 
     August 14, 2012.
       (B) Majd Kamalmaz, an American psychotherapist, was 
     detained by the Assad regime in February 2017, and 
     subsequently murdered in captivity by the Assad regime.
       (C) Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig, 2 American aid workers, 
     and James Foley and Steven Sotloff, 2 American journalists, 
     were all United States citizens who were murdered in Syria 
     while being held in captivity by the Islamic State.
       (2) Sense of congress.--It is the Sense of Congress that 
     the United States Government should take all necessary 
     steps--
       (A) to secure the release of Austin Tice and other 
     Americans unjustly detained in Syria; and
       (B) to secure the return of the remains of Majd Kamalmaz, 
     Kayla Mueller, James Foley, Peter Kassig, and Steven Sotloff.
       (3) Briefing required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for 
     the following 5 years, the President shall provide a briefing 
     to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives 
     regarding--
       (A) efforts by the United States Government--
       (i) to secure the release of Austin Tice and other unjustly 
     detained Americans in Syria; and
       (ii) to secure the return of the remains of Majd Kamalmaz, 
     Kayla Mueller, James Foley, Peter Kassig, Steven Sotloff, and 
     other United States nationals killed in captivity in Syria; 
     and
       (B) the steps the United States Government is taking to 
     keep the families of such persons informed of its efforts to 
     secure the release of such persons or the return of their 
     remains.

                                 ______