[Pages S7183-S7184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 45--AFFIRMING THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF 
               THE SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR SYRIA

  Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. 
Merkley, and Mr. Van Hollen) submitted the following concurrent 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 45

       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

[[Page S7184]]

     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 Bennett Tice, an 
     American journalist, who 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 Senate (the House of Representatives 
     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.

                          ____________________