[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 462 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 14 (legislative day, November 13), 2023
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
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
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.
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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