[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 135 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 135
Affirming the nature and importance of the support of the United States
for Syria.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 18, 2024
Mr. Meeks (for himself, Mr. Crow, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Pallone, and Ms.
Titus) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Affirming the nature and importance of the support of the United States
for Syria.
Whereas, in December 2024, following decades of pressure and sacrifice by the
Syrian people and from international condemnation, the al Assad family's
era of heinous war crimes and authoritarian rule ended and Bashar Assad
fled to Moscow, where Putin granted him political asylum;
Whereas, as a result of the opportunity his departure has presented to the
Syrian people, the United States reaffirms its support to all the Syrian
people, and urges an inclusive and peaceful transition by Syrians, for
Syria.
Whereas national, ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities and indigenous
peoples, including Alawites, Armenians, Druze, Yezidis, Kurds, Shabak,
Turkmen, and historic Christian communities (including Chaldean, Syriac,
Assyrian, and Melkite peoples) among others, have been integral
components of the long cultural lineage of Syria;
Whereas these same religious and ethnic minorities have made, and continue to
make, invaluable and significant contributions to the social, economic,
and political fabric of societies across the Middle East and the world,
including the United States;
Whereas the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (referred to in this preamble as
``ISIS'') is responsible for carrying out a brutal campaign of violence
against members of all faiths in Syria and Iraq;
Whereas ethnic and religious minorities were subjected to innumerable atrocities
by ISIS, including forced religious conversion, kidnapping, slavery,
human trafficking, unlawful forced displacement, ethnic cleansing,
torture, sexual violence, and sex trafficking, among other crimes;
Whereas the Secretary of State declared on March 17, 2016, and on August 15,
2017, that ISIS is responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity,
and other atrocities against religious and ethnic minority groups in
Syria and Iraq, including Shia Muslims, Christians, and Yezidis, among
other religious and ethnic groups;
Whereas the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018
(Public Law 115-300) affirms that it is the policy of the United States
to ensure that assistance for religious and ethnic minorities is
directed towards those who--
(1) have the greatest need, including minorities who the Secretary of
State declared were targeted for genocide, crimes against humanity, or war
crimes; and
(2) have been identified as being at risk of persecution, forced
migration, genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes;
Whereas members of these religious and ethnic minority communities continue to
face daily insecurity, discrimination, hardship, and violence from state
and non-state actors;
Whereas Syrian opposition forces have repeatedly signaled their intent to
respect the rights and dignity of religious and ethnic minorities in
Syria, but there have been incidents of members of such minorities
fleeing their homes while there is documented violence and expulsions
against Kurdish communities by elements of the Syrian National Army;
Whereas the restoration and stabilization of all regions of Syria will provide
an opportunity for its longstanding diverse ethnic and religious
communities to flourish;
Whereas the Syrian Democratic Forces (referred to in this preamble as the
``SDF'') has been a critical partner to United States and allied
counter-ISIS and broader counterterrorism efforts in Syria, and the
United States should continue to support and partner with the SDF;
Whereas the SDF has played a critical role in securing and maintaining ISIS
detention facilities and ensuring that ISIS terrorists do not pose a
renewed threat to the region or United States allies or partners;
Whereas the search continues for Austin Tice, an American journalist, was
kidnapped in Syria on August 14, 2012; and
Whereas the Syrian Democratic Council--
(1) serves as the civil administration for much of northeast Syria; and
(2) has provided critical public services and maintained civilian
infrastructure in that region throughout the Syrian conflict: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) commits to protecting and upholding the internationally
recognized human rights of members of all religious and ethnic
minority communities in Syria;
(2) calls for an inclusive and peaceful political
transition process in Syria that preserves and protects the
rights and livelihoods of all Syria communities, including its
religious and ethnic minority communities;
(3) supports the preservation, documentation, and
restoration of--
(A) religious and cultural heritage sites in Syria;
and
(B) community buildings of religious and ethnic
minority communities in the region;
(4) calls upon all state and non-state actors--
(A) to cease any and all support for, or commission
of, all current violence in Syria; and
(B) to refrain from future violence and acts of
reprisal or repression against all Syrians, including
religious and ethnic minority communities in Syria;
(5) encourages the Secretary of State and the Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development--
(A) to advocate for the protection of religious and
ethnic minorities in Syria; and
(B) to engage in appropriate steps, including
targeted sanctions relief and development programming
to support humanitarian needs, development, and
reconstruction in Syria, including in religious and
ethnic minority communities; and
(6) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to
finding and securing the release of Austin Tice.
<all>