CAESAR SYRIA CIVILIAN PROTECTION ACT OF 2019; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 13

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CAESAR SYRIA CIVILIAN PROTECTION ACT OF 2019

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill

(\[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31)) to require certain additional actions in connection with the

national emergency with respect to Syria, and for other purposes, as

amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows:

\[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the \\\`\\\`Caesar Syria Civilian

Protection Act of 2019''.

TITLE I--ADDITIONAL ACTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY

WITH RESPECT TO SYRIA

SEC. 101. MEASURES WITH RESPECT TO CENTRAL BANK OF SYRIA.

(a) Determination Regarding Central Bank of Syria.--Not

later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this

Act, the Secretary of the Treasury shall determine, under

section 5318A of title 31, United States Code, whether

reasonable grounds exist for concluding that the Central Bank

of Syria is a financial institution of primary money

laundering concern.

(b) Enhanced Due Diligence and Reporting Requirements.--If

the Secretary of the Treasury determines under subsection (a)

that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that the Central

Bank of Syria is a financial institution of primary money

laundering concern, the Secretary, in consultation with the

Federal functional regulators (as defined in section 509 of

the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6809)), shall impose

one or more of the special measures described in section

5318A(b) of title 31, United States Code, with respect to the

Central Bank of Syria.

(c) Report Required.--

(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after making a

determination under subsection (a) as to whether or not the

Central Bank of Syria is a financial institution of primary

money laundering concern, the Secretary of the Treasury shall

submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report

that includes the reasons for the determination.

(2) Form.--A report required by paragraph (1) shall be

submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified

annex.

(3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this

subsection, the term \\\`\\\`appropriate congressional committees''

means--

(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on

Financial Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of

the House of Representatives; and

(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee on

Appropriations of the Senate.

SEC. 102. SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FOREIGN PERSONS THAT

ENGAGE IN CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS.

(a) Imposition of Sanctions.--

(1) In general.--On and after the date that is 180 days

after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President

shall impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with

respect to a foreign person if the President determines that

the foreign person, on or after such date of enactment,

knowingly engages in an activity described in paragraph (2).

(2) Activities described.--A foreign person engages in an

activity described in this paragraph if the foreign person--

(A) knowingly provides significant financial, material, or

technological support to, or knowingly engages in a

significant transaction with--

(i) the Government of Syria (including any entity owned or

controlled by the Government of Syria) or a senior political

figure of the Government of Syria;

(ii) a foreign person that is a military contractor,

mercenary, or a paramilitary force knowingly operating in a

military capacity inside Syria for or on behalf of the

Government of Syria, the Government of the Russian

Federation, or the Government of Iran; or

(iii) a foreign person subject to sanctions pursuant to the

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701

et seq.) with respect to Syria or any other provision of law

that imposes sanctions with respect to Syria;

(B) knowingly sells or provides significant goods,

services, technology, information, or other support that

significantly facilitates the maintenance or expansion of the

Government of Syria's domestic production of natural gas,

petroleum, or petroleum products;

(C) knowingly sells or provides aircraft or spare aircraft

parts that are used for military purposes in Syria for or 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 associated with the

Government of Syria;

(D) knowingly provides significant goods or services

associated with the operation of aircraft that are used for

military purposes in Syria for or on behalf of the Government

of Syria to any foreign person operating in an area described

in subparagraph (C); or

(E) knowingly, directly or indirectly, provides significant

construction or engineering services to the Government of

Syria.

(3) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that,

in implementing this section, the President should consider

financial support under paragraph (2)(A) to include the

provision of loans, credits, or export credits.

(b) Sanctions Described.--

(1) In general.--The sanctions to be imposed with respect

to a foreign person subject to subsection (a) are the

following:

(A) Blocking of property.--The President shall exercise all

of the powers granted to the President under the

International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701

et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all

transactions in property and interests in property of the

foreign person if such property and interests in property are

in the United States, come within the United States, or are

or come within the possession or control of a United States

person.

(B) Aliens ineligible for visas, admission, or parole.--

(i) Visas, admission, or parole.--An alien who the

Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or

a designee of one of such Secretaries) knows, or has reason

to believe, has knowingly engaged in any activity described

in subsection (a)(2) is--

(I) inadmissible to the United States;

(II) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to

enter the United States; and

(III) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into

the United States or to receive any other benefit under the

Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

(ii) Current visas revoked.--

(I) In general.--The issuing consular officer, the

Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security (or

a designee of one of such Secretaries) shall, in accordance

with section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8

U.S.C. 1201(i)), revoke any visa or other entry documentation

issued to an alien described in clause (i) regardless of when

the visa or other entry documentation is issued.

(II) Effect of revocation.--A revocation under subclause

(I)--

(aa) shall take effect immediately; and

(bb) shall automatically cancel any other valid visa or

entry documentation that is in the alien's possession.

(2) Penalties.--The penalties provided for in subsections

(b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency

Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person

that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or

causes a violation of regulations promulgated under section

303 to carry out paragraph (1)(A) to the same extent that

such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act

described in section 206(a) of that Act.

(3) Exception to comply with united nations headquarters

agreement.--Sanctions under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply

with respect to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien

into the United States is necessary 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.

TITLE II--ASSISTANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA

SEC. 201. CODIFICATION OF CERTAIN SERVICES IN SUPPORT OF

NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS' ACTIVITIES

AUTHORIZED.

(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b),

section 542.516 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations

(relating to certain services in support of nongovernmental

organizations' activities authorized), as in effect on the

day before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall--

(1) remain in effect on and after such date of enactment;

and

(2) in the case of a nongovernmental organization that is

authorized to export or reexport services to Syria under such

section on

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the day before such date of enactment, apply to such

organization on and after such date of enactment to the same

extent and in the same manner as such section applied to such

organization on the day before such date of enactment.

(b) Exception.--

(1) In general.--Section 542.516 of title 31, Code of

Federal Regulations, as codified under subsection (a), shall

not apply with respect to a foreign person that has been

designated as a foreign terrorist organization under section

219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189),

or otherwise designated as a terrorist organization, by the

Secretary of State, in consultation with or upon the request

of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland

Security.

(2) Effective date.--Paragraph (1) shall apply with respect

to a foreign person on and after the date on which the

designation of that person as a terrorist organization is

published in the Federal Register.

SEC. 202. BRIEFING ON STRATEGY TO FACILITATE HUMANITARIAN

ASSISTANCE.

(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of

the enactment of this Act, the President shall brief the

appropriate congressional committees on the strategy of the

President to help facilitate the ability of humanitarian

organizations to access financial services to help facilitate

the safe and timely delivery of assistance to communities in

need in Syria.

(b) Consideration of Data From Other Countries and

Nongovernmental Organizations.--In preparing the strategy

required by subsection (a), the President shall consider

credible data already obtained by other countries and

nongovernmental organizations, including organizations

operating in Syria.

(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this

section, the term \\\`\\\`appropriate congressional committees''

means--

(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on

Financial Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of

the House of Representatives; and

(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee on

Appropriations of the Senate.

TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. SUSPENSION OF SANCTIONS.

(a) In General.--The President may suspend in whole or in

part the imposition of sanctions otherwise required under

this Act for periods not to exceed 180 days if the President

determines that the following criteria have been met in

Syria:

(1) The air space over Syria is no longer being utilized by

the Government of Syria or the Government of the Russian

Federation to target civilian populations through the use of

incendiary devices, including barrel bombs, chemical weapons,

and conventional arms, including air-delivered missiles and

explosives.

(2) Areas besieged by the Government of Syria, the

Government of the Russian Federation, the Government of Iran,

or a foreign person described in section 102(a)(2)(A)(ii) are

no longer cut off from international aid and have regular

access to humanitarian assistance, freedom of travel, and

medical care.

(3) The Government of Syria is releasing all political

prisoners forcibly held within the prison system of the

regime of Bashar al-Assad and the Government of Syria is

allowing full access to the same facilities for

investigations by appropriate international human rights

organizations.

(4) The forces of the Government of Syria, the Government

of the Russian Federation, the Government of Iran, and any

foreign person described in section 102(a)(2)(A)(ii) are no

longer engaged in deliberate targeting of medical facilities,

schools, residential areas, and community gathering places,

including markets, in violation of international norms.

(5) The Government of Syria is--

(A) taking steps to verifiably fulfill its commitments

under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,

Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on

their Destruction, done at Geneva September 3, 1992, and

entered into force April 29, 1997 (commonly known as the

\\\`\\\`Chemical Weapons Convention''), and the Treaty on the Non-

Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London,

and Moscow July 1, 1968, and entered into force March 5, 1970

(21 UST 483); and

(B) making tangible progress toward becoming a signatory to

the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,

Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological)

and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction, done at

Washington, London, and Moscow April 10, 1972, and entered

into force March 26, 1975 (26 UST 583).

(6) The Government of Syria is permitting the safe,

voluntary, and dignified return of Syrians displaced by the

conflict.

(7) The Government of Syria is taking verifiable steps to

establish meaningful accountability for perpetrators of war

crimes in Syria and justice for victims of war crimes

committed by the Assad regime, including by participation in

a credible and independent truth and reconciliation process.

(b) Briefing Required.--Not later than 30 days after the

President makes a determination described in subsection (a),

the President shall provide a briefing to the appropriate

congressional committees on the determination and the

suspension of sanctions pursuant to the determination.

(c) Reimposition of Sanctions.--Any sanctions suspended

under subsection (a) shall be reimposed if the President

determines that the criteria described in that subsection are

no longer being met.

(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be

construed to limit the authority of the President to

terminate the application of sanctions under section 102 with

respect to a person that no longer engages in activities

described in subsection (a)(2) of that section.

(e) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this

section, the term \\\`\\\`appropriate congressional committees''

means--

(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on

Financial Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, the

Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on

Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on the

Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

SEC. 302. EXEMPTIONS; WAIVERS; EXCEPTION RELATING TO

IMPORTATION OF GOODS.

(a) Exemptions.--The following activities and transactions

shall be exempt from sanctions authorized under this Act:

(1) 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 to any authorized law enforcement, national

security, or intelligence activities of the United States.

(2) Any transaction necessary to comply with United States

obligations under--

(A) 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;

(B) the Convention on Consular Relations, done at Vienna

April 24, 1963, and entered into force March 19, 1967; or

(C) any other international agreement to which the United

States is a party.

(b) Waiver.--

(1) In general.--The President may, for periods not to

exceed 180 days, waive the application of any sanction

authorized under this Act with respect to a foreign person if

the President certifies to the appropriate congressional

committees that such a waiver is in the national security

interests of the United States.

(2) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the issuance of

a waiver under paragraph (1), and every 180 days thereafter

while the waiver remains in effect, the President shall brief

the appropriate congressional committees on the reasons for

the waiver.

(c) Humanitarian Waiver.--

(1) In general.--The President may waive, for renewable

periods not to exceed 2 years, the application of any

sanction authorized under this Act with respect to a

nongovernmental organization providing humanitarian

assistance not covered by the authorization described in

section 201 if the President certifies to the appropriate

congressional committees that such a waiver is important to

address a humanitarian need and is consistent with the

national security interests of the United States.

(2) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the issuance of

a waiver under paragraph (1), and every 180 days thereafter

while the waiver remains in effect, the President shall brief

the appropriate congressional committees on the reasons for

the waiver.

(d) Exception Relating to Importation of Goods.--

(1) In general.--The authorities and requirements to impose

sanctions authorized under this Act shall not include the

authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the

importation of goods.

(2) Good defined.--In this subsection, the term \\\`\\\`good''

means any article, natural or man-made substance, material,

supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test

equipment, and excluding technical data.

(e) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this

section, the term \\\`\\\`appropriate congressional committees''

means--

(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on

Financial Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, the

Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on

Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on the

Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.

SEC. 303. REGULATORY AUTHORITIES.

The President shall, not later than 180 days after the date

of the enactment of this Act, promulgate regulations as

necessary for the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 304. SUNSET.

This Act shall cease to be effective on the date that is 5

years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New

York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will

control 20 minutes.

The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

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General Leave

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may

have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and

include extraneous material on \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), the Caesar Syria Civilian

Protection Act, as amended, currently under consideration.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the

gentleman from New York?

There was no objection.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this is the third time I have stood on the House floor

to argue in favor of passing this bill, to argue that we need to dial

up the pressure on the Assad regime; that we need to crack down on his

enablers, namely, Iran and Russia; and that we need to push for a

political solution that will end the years of horrific bloodshed.

I made that case in November 2016, when the House unanimously passed

a version of this bill. I did it again in May of 2017, and again it

passed unanimously, only to languish in the other body for the rest of

the Congress, stopped by one single Senator.

In Syria, in the last 26 months that have come since the House first

passed this bill, the suffering has continued. Over the last few weeks,

in the Rukban refugee camp, 13 babies froze to death, and 50,000 more

displaced people in this camp are at grave risk. They have nowhere else

to go. Unchecked, the Assad regime will likely move in and massacre

these innocent people.

I could go on and on, detailing the horrors the Syrian people have

endured at the hands of this butcher, Assad. I could describe the

atrocities we saw in photographs smuggled out of Syria by Caesar, the

government photographer who defected and after whom this bill is named.

But after years of unremitting bloodshed, it is long past time for

more talk about Syria. We need action, and my legislation would be an

important step in the right direction.

This bill would slap sanctions on anyone who does business with the

Assad regime. It would go after anyone who provides financing or parts

for aircraft that are used to bomb civilians or works with the energy

or construction sectors controlled by the Syrian Government.

We don't want to do accidental harm with this bill, so we have made

sure that it would not affect NGOs providing assistance, and we want

the administration to use this tool to create leverage, so sanctions

could be waived or suspended if meaningful negotiations were moving

forward.

In this respect, this bill encourages diplomacy and a peaceful,

sustainable solution to the conflict in Syria.

Some people may be resigned to the idea that Assad is simply going to

take over the country. I disagree. The United States should not abandon

our options for applying pressure to the regime. Syria with Assad at

the helm is a recipe for sustained conflict, not sustainable peace. For

me, sustainable peace for the people of Syria has always been the goal.

Let me be very clear: This bill would impose Syria\\-related sanctions;

it would not impose nuclear-related sanctions.

I know many of my colleagues are concerned about our withdrawal from

the JCPOA. This legislation is entirely consistent with what President

Obama promised us after entering into the Iran nuclear deal, that we

would continue to sanction Iran for its destabilizing activities in the

region. Sanctions under this bill would not prevent a future President

of the United States from returning to the Iranian nuclear agreement.

There is obviously no easy solution for the crisis in Syria. It

wouldn't have raged on for years and years if there were a simple path

out of it. But this bill represents one tool the administration can use

to try to move toward that solution, to break the status quo.

I also want to mention the fact that so many wonderful Syrian

American groups have been fighting for this legislation, have been

fighting against the Assad regime, and have really worked so hard over

these past years. It has really been good working with them, although,

obviously, very, very difficult.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on Financial Services,

Washington, DC, January 5, 2019.

Hon. Eliot L. Engel,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Engel: I am writing concerning \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), the

\\\`\\\`Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019.''

As a result of your having consulted with the Committee on

Financial Servicing concerning provisions in the bill that

fall within our Rule X jurisdiction, I agree to forgo action

on the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House

floor. The Committee on Financial Services takes this action

with our mutual understanding that, by foregoing

consideration of \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31) at this time, we do not waive any

jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or

similar legislation, and that our Committee will be

appropriately consulted and involved as this or similar

legislation moves forward. Our Committee also reserves the

right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of

conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or

similar legislation and request your support for any such

request.

Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter

confirming this understanding with respect to \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31) and

would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this

matter be included in the Congressional Record.

Sincerely,

Maxine Waters,

Chairwoman.

\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, January 10, 2019.

Hon. Maxine Waters,

Chairwoman, Committee on Financial Services,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairwoman Waters: I am writing to you concerning \[H.R.

31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019.

I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this

legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions

that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on

Financial Services. I acknowledge that your Committee will

not formally consider \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31) and agree that the inaction of

your Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any

future jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in

\[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31) which fall within your Committee's Rule X

jurisdiction.

I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in

the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the

bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this

legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you

as this measure moves through the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Eliot L. Engel,

Chairman.

\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_

Committee on Ways and Means,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, January 9, 2019.

Hon. Eliot L. Engel,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,

Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Engel: I am writing with respect to \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31),

the \\\`\\\`Ceasar Syria Civilian Act of 2019.'' As a result of

your having consulted with us on provisions on which the

Committee on Ways and Means has a jurisdictional interest, I

will not request a sequential referral on this measure.

The Committee on Ways and Means takes this action with the

mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction

over the subject matter contained in this or similar

legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately

consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation

moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues

within our jurisdiction. The Committee also reserves the

right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of

conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this or

similar legislation, and requests your support for such

request.

Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter

confirming this understanding, and would ask that a copy of

our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the

Congressional Record during floor consideration of \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31).

Sincerely,

Richard E. Neal,

Chairman.

\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, January 10, 2019.

Hon. Richard E. Neal,

Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for consulting with the

Foreign Affairs Committee on \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), the Caesar Syria

Civilian Protection Act of 2019, and for agreeing to forgo a

sequential referral request so that the bill may proceed

expeditiously to the House floor.

I agree that your declining to pursue a referral in this

case does not diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the

Committee on Ways and Means, or prejudice its jurisdictional

prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the

future. I would support your effort to seek appointment of an

appropriate number of conferees from your Committee over any

parts of the bill under the jurisdiction of the Committee on

Ways and Means to any House-Senate conference on this

legislation.

I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in

the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the

bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this

legislation and look forward to continuing to work with

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you as this measure moves through the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Eliot L. Engel,

Chairman.

\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, January 10, 2019.

Hon. Jerrold Nadler,

Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Nadler: I am writing to you concerning \[H.R.

31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019.

I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this

legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions

that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on the

Judiciary. I acknowledge that your Committee will not

formally consider \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31) and agree that the inaction of your

Committee with respect to the bill does not waive any future

jurisdictional claim over the matters contained in \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31)

which fall within your Committee's Rule X jurisdiction.

I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in

the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the

bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this

legislation and look forward to continuing to work with you

as this measure moves through the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Eliot L. Engel,

Chairman.

\\\_\\\_\\\_\\\_

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, January 11, 2019.

Hon. Eliot L. Engel,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: This is to advise you that the Committee

on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to review the

provisions in \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), the \\\`\\\`Caesar Syria Civilian Protection

Act of 2019,'' that fall within our Rule X jurisdiction. I

appreciate your consulting with us on those provisions. The

Judiciary Committee has no objection to your including them

in the bill for consideration on the House floor, and to

expedite that consideration is willing to waive sequential

referral, with the understanding that we do not thereby waive

any future jurisdictional claim over those provisions or

their subject matters.

In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar

legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the

right to request an appropriate number of conferees to

address any concerns with these or similar provisions that

may arise in conference.

Please place this letter into the Congressional Record

during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank

you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked

regarding this matter and others between our committees.

Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler,

Chairman,

House Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I stand in strong support of the Caesar Syria Civilian

Protection Act authored by my good friend Chairman Engel.

For nearly 7 years, we have watched the barbaric Assad regime launch

countless attacks on the people of Syria. Since the conflict began in

2011, more than 500,000 people have been killed and 14 million have

been forced from their homes.

This destabilizing exodus has imposed painful burdens on neighboring

countries. Our committee has heard disturbing testimony directly from

Syrians caught up in this horrific nightmare. In fact, I recently met

with the brave defector known to the world as Caesar, for whom this

bill is named.

His story is gut-wrenching. He told me about the shocking scale of

torture and murder being carried out within the prisons of Syria. The

photographic evidence he smuggled out and showed to us proves beyond

any doubt the brutality of Bashar al-Assad. The images are shocking and

indelible.

The bill before us today will increase international pressure on

Assad and his backers by targeting their means of support. Foreign

companies and banks will have to choose between doing business with

Assad or with the United States.

The bill will also sanction anyone who flies weapons or fighters into

Syria to support his murderous regime.

This bill is about creating leverage to push the parties to

negotiate. It is about finding a way forward, to be determined by the

Syrian people, that does not allow Assad to continue to exterminate

them or drive them from their homes.

This bill, as the chairman said, has passed the House twice and is

long overdue. I am confident it will pass tonight, and I hope that the

Senate will take it up promptly in the new Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to join us as we seek to ease the

immense suffering of the people of Syria and give them a better hope

for the future, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from

Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this legislation, \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31),

the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019. I am a proud original

cosponsor of this legislation.

Over 7 years, nearly half a million Syrians killed, 6 million Syrians

driven from their country, over 10 million Syrians displaced and forced

from their homes, and countless acts of atrocities from the Assad

regime.

Clearly, it is time for this Congress to act, and this bill would do

that. It would bring much-needed accountability to the Assad regime,

which is responsible for horrific crimes, crimes against its own

people. It would do so by allowing sanctions to be imposed on people

who contribute to these coldhearted and merciless acts.

It would require the Treasury Department to determine whether to

target Syria's Central Bank with money laundering countermeasures.

Quite simply, I agree with Chairman Engel. We need a political

solution that ends Assad's crimes, removes him from power, and allows

the Syrian people to develop their own future for their own country.

Assad must be held accountable for the massacre of his own people,

and this bill will begin to do just that.

Additionally, Russia and Assad must stop standing by and

systematically allowing ISIS to attack minority populations in Syria,

including the Druze people.

We cannot expect much from these actors, but it is incumbent upon

them to protect minority populations in Syria in the territory that

they control. Further, it is also the responsibility of the President

of the United States and his national security team to speak with one

voice regarding our policy in Syria and the region.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. KILDEE. The President has, time and time again, illustrated that

our allies and our adversaries simply cannot trust what the President

says. The administration needs to articulate a cohesive strategy for

the region and for Syria, particularly after the President, with no

warning to our partners, announced the U.S. withdrawal.

{time} 1645

Finally, Mr. Speaker, like Chairman Engel, I thank all of those who

have advocated for this bill, for their tenacity, for their engagement,

and I urge my colleagues to join with them and stand up for them and

immediately pass this critical legislation to hold Assad accountable.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from

Arkansas (Mr. Hill), an original cosponsor of the bill.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking

member, and I, too, add my thanks to Chairman Engel and his

predecessor, Chairman Royce, for their intense and passionate work on

this important subject.

I was an original cosponsor, and I support the passage of \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31),

the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act. This legislation imposes new

sanctions on Syrian human rights abusers and those who facilitate the

regime's atrocities. It also authorizes the State Department to support

entities that are collecting and preserving that chain of evidence for

eventual prosecution of those who have committed war crimes in Syria

since the war began in 2011.

The world has witnessed many examples of butchering and genocide by

menaces throughout history: Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. They are joined in

the last 8 years by a new name, and that is Assad and his Russian and

Iranian collaborators.

Until Mr. Trump's strategic airstrikes, for the prior 8 years, the

world has blustered and twiddled while these modern menaces murdered

the innocent civilian population in Syria. Systematically, they

savagely bombed, bludgeoned, gassed, electrocuted, and tortured their

people. I have seen this evidence on full display in Washington's

Holocaust museum, and I urge all Americans to look at that exhibit.

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I have heard eyewitness testimony from the Syrian Emergency Task

Force. Listen to the horrors, Mr. Speaker:

A survivor of a gas attack told The New York Times in 2017:

My eyes were burning, my head was throbbing, and my throat

was blocked. I was suffocating. I tried to inhale, but all I

heard was a horrible rasping sound as my throat closed up. An

unbearable pain drummed in my head. The world began to blur.

I pounded my chest, but I couldn't breathe. I thought my

heart was going to explode.

Does this Congress need any more testimony, Mr. Speaker?

I commend President Trump for hearing these cries and his leadership

to carry out airstrikes to block Assad's mass murder, and I call on him

again to strengthen his resolve against Assad's barbarous acts and

think of these innocent Syrian people who face these terrible

atrocities nearly ever day.

Finally, I urge my colleagues to support \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), and I call on the

Senate to not twiddle their thumbs any longer and act with expedition

and pass this legislation. Let's not waste any more time bringing Assad

and his coconspirators to justice.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I once again recognize the work of Chairman

Engel, his cosponsors, and former Chairman Royce.

Those of us who have talked to eyewitnesses and seen video and photos

will never forget the atrocities perpetrated by Bashar al-Assad: the

bombing of the hospitals, the torture of prisoners, and the gassing of

children who died agonizing deaths in their beds.

For 7 years international diplomats have debated ways to protect

civilians in Syria, with no results. Today, we send a strong message

that the United States will work to ensure that Assad's war machine is

halted.

It is not too late to act, as Mr. Hill eloquently stated. The people

of Syria cannot afford further delay. I urge all Members to support it,

and I sure hope this time the Senate will be able to pass it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

In closing, let me thank the ranking member, Mr. McCaul, for his very

important words.

The world has failed the Syrian people. Nothing can undo the horrors

they have had, and they have had to endure them for nearly 8 years.

Nothing can bring back those who have been lost. But the world owes it

to the living and the dead to try and bring this crisis to an end.

The role America must play is to push for a political solution that

allows the Syrian people to choose their own future. That is what

American leadership looks like. That is what sets us apart from other

great powers on the world stage.

We simply cannot look the other way and allow Assad, Russia, and Iran

to steamroll over Syria. That would send a terrible message to our

allies. It would undermine security across the entire region, and it

would cost so many more innocent lives.

My bill would give the administration greater leverage to raise the

cost for Assad and crack down on his lifelines. I ask that all Members

support this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the

gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules

and pass the bill, \[H.R. 31\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31), as amended.

The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the

rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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