SENATE RESOLUTION 99--OBSERVING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UPRISING IN SYRIA; Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 44

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SENATE RESOLUTION 99--OBSERVING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UPRISING IN

SYRIA

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Rubio, Mrs.

Shaheen, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Romney, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Hagerty,

and Mr. Coons) submitted the following resolution; which was referred

to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

\[S. Res. 99\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-resolution/99)

Whereas 10 years ago, on March 15th, 2011, in the midst of

the Arab Spring, hundreds of Syrians peacefully assembled to

call on their leadership for democratic reforms and respect

for their fundamental freedoms, sparking a nationwide

movement;

Whereas in response to the predominantly peaceful protests,

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered unyielding violence

against the people of Syria, including arbitrary detentions,

torture, killing, and attacks on civilians and civilian

infrastructure, often under the false premise of combating

terrorism;

Whereas over the course of this conflict, the Assad regime

has exhibited unrelenting depravity in its use of chemical

weapons and barrel bombs, deliberately targeting civilian

infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, and

committing gross violations of international humanitarian

law;

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Whereas the former Syrian military photographer \\\`\\\`Caesar''

meticulously photographed the Assad regime's widespread

system of arrest, detention, torture and murder of tens of

thousands of Syrian protesters and dissidents, and then

courageously smuggled 55,000 of those photographs out of

Syria, exposing the regime's barbarity for the world to

witness;

Whereas the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019

(22 U.S.C. 8791 note), which became law on December 20,

2019--

(1) seeks accountability for the Assad regime and its

international enablers for atrocities against the Syrian

people;

(2) denies the Assad regime the resources to fuel its

war machine; and

(3) sends a clear signal to the international community

against normalizing, rehabilitating, or legitimizing Assad

and his backers.

Whereas Iran and Russia intervened militarily in support of

the Assad regime, enabling and actively participating in the

Assad regime's horrific brutalities against civilians in

favor of advancing their narrow interests and in some cases

empowered extremist groups;

Whereas in pursuit of its narrow self-interest, Russia,

backed by China, has blunted United Nations' efforts to

preserve vital border crossings that serve as a critical

humanitarian lifeline to the beleaguered Syrian population.

Whereas the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria exacerbated the

suffering of the Syrian people through the violent and

hostile seizure of territory, misapplication of Islamic law,

destruction and smuggling of antiquities, and oil smuggling,

turning Syria into a global hub for terrorist activity;

Whereas the Assad regime, and its Russian and Iranian

backers, are largely responsible for the death of more than

500,000 Syrian civilians, and the displacement of more than

12,000,000 men, women, and children within and outside of

Syria's borders, imposing irreversible trauma and loss for a

whole generation;

Whereas millions of Syrians are struggling to survive, with

more than 13,000,000 Syrians who are in need of humanitarian

assistance and more than 9,000,000 Syrians who are facing

food insecurity;

Whereas international efforts to secure a peaceful

political transition of power in Syria, in accordance with

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, adopted on

December 18, 2015, remain stymied, due almost entirely to the

intransigence of Russia and the Assad regime, holding the

people of Syria hostage;

Whereas the people and Government of the United States

support the people of Syria in their aspirations for peace,

stability, dignity, and accountability:

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) solemnly observes the 10th anniversary of the Syrian

uprising;

(2) affirms that it is the policy of the United States--

(A) to seek a political solution to the Syrian conflict;

(B) to continue to stand with the people of Syria;

(C) to further efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire;

(D) to continue work on the constitutional committee free

from regime intransigence; and

(E) to foster conditions for free and fair elections in

accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution

2254;

(3) affirms that it is the policy of the United States to

promote adherence to the laws of war by all parties engaging

in hostilities in Syria;

(4) affirms that it is the policy of the United States to

support international humanitarian efforts to assist innocent

civilians, including through support for displaced

populations and the promotion of accountability for

perpetrators of human rights abuses;

(5) commits to continuing efforts to hold the Assad

regime and its Russian and Iranian backers accountable for

war crimes and crimes against humanity; including through

implementation of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of

2019;

(6) commends the bravery of Syrian human rights defenders

who, in the service of justice and accountability, have

courageously documented the atrocities committed by the Assad

regime and its Russian and Iranian backers over the course of

this conflict;

(7) condemns the indiscriminate use of force by all

actors in Syria, including the Assad regime, its proponents,

its opponents, and extremist groups;

(8) calls on the United States Government to reinvigorate

diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict as outlined under

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, and to

expand humanitarian aid to the Syrian people so they may--

(A) be free from violence, whether from the state or

other armed groups;

(B) return to their communities of their own free will

and in an informed manner;

(C) participate in transitional justice; and

(D) decide their own futures through free and fair

elections that result in a legitimate representative

government that serves all Syrians.

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