Foreign Relations
Bill
To
halt Syrian support for terrorism, end its occupation of Lebanon, stop its
development of weapons of mass destruction, cease its illegal importation of
Iraqi oil, and by so doing hold Syria accountable for its role in the Middle
East, and for other purposes.
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 `Syria Accountability Act of 2002'.
SEC. 2.
FINDINGS.
Congress makes the
following findings:
(1) On September 20, 2001,
President George Bush stated at a joint session of Congress that `[e]very
nation, in every region, now has a decision to make . . . [e]ither you are with
us, or you are with the terrorists . . . [f]rom this day forward, any nation
that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United
States as a hostile regime'.
(2) United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1373 (September 28, 2001) mandates that all states `refrain
from providing any form of support, active or passive, to entities or persons
involved in terrorist acts', take `the necessary steps to prevent the commission
of terrorist acts', and `deny safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or
commit terrorist acts'.
(3) The Government of Syria
is currently prohibited by United States law from receiving United States
assistance because it is listed as state sponsor of
terrorism.
(4) Although the Department
of State lists Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism and reports that Syria
provides `safe haven and support to several terrorist groups', fewer United
States sanctions apply with respect to Syria than with respect to any other
country that is listed as a state sponsor of terrorism.
(5) Terrorist groups,
including Hizballah, Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine,
and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command maintain
offices, training camps, and other facilities on Syrian territory and operate in
areas of Lebanon occupied by the Syrian armed forces and receive supplies from
Iran through Syria.
(19) Syria, a non-permanent
United Nations Security Council member, is receiving between 150,000 and 200,000
barrels of oil from Iraq in violation of Security Council Resolution 661 and
subsequent relevant resolutions.
(20) Syrian President
Bashar Assad promised Secretary of State Powell in February 2001 to end
violations of Security Council Resolution 661 but this pledge has not been
fulfilled.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF
CONGRESS.
It
is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Government of Syria
should immediately and unconditionally halt support for terrorism, permanently
and openly declare its total renunciation of all forms of terrorism, and close
all terrorist offices and facilities in Syria, including the offices of Hamas,
Hizballah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command;
(2) the Government of Syria
should immediately declare its commitment to completely withdraw its armed
forces, including military, paramilitary, and security forces, from Lebanon, and
set a firm timetable for such withdrawal;
(4) the Government of Syria
should halt the development and deployment of short and medium range ballistic
missiles and cease the development and production of biological and chemical
weapons;
(5) the Government of Syria should halt illegal imports and transshipments of Iraqi oil and come into full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 661 and subsequent relevant resolutions;
SEC. 5.
SANCTIONS.
(1) the President shall
prohibit the export to Syria of any item;
(4) the President shall impose two or
more of the following sanctions:
(A) Prohibit the export of products of the United States (other than food and medicine) to Syria.
(B) Prohibit United States businesses from investing or operating in Syria.
(C) Restrict Syrian diplomats in Washington, D.C., and at the United Nations in New York City, to travel only within a 25-mile radius of Washington, D.C., or the United Nations headquarters building, respectively.
(D) Reduce United States diplomatic contacts with Syria (other than those contacts required to protect United States interests or carry out the purposes of this Act).