Free Syria Act of 2013
Latest action · Apr 15, 2013 Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedMar 21, 2013
- Passed HouseNot reached
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Free Syria Act of 2013 - Expresses the sense of Congress that:
- the United States should increase its humanitarian support for those affected by the conflict in Syria;
- Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon should be commended for keeping its borders open to Syrian refugees;
- the President should urge other countries in the area to keep their borders open for such purpose, and should urge the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to expedite the protection and resettlement of the most vulnerable refugees;
- the President should provide temporary immigration relief measures for and grant humanitarian parole to Syrian nationals with approved immigrant petitions;
- the United States should coordinate its assistance efforts with the Syrian Opposition Coalition's Assistance Coordination Unit;
- individuals within the Bashar al Assad (Assad) regime who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity must be brought to justice;
- U.S. military assistance should be provided only to groups demonstrating a commitment to securing, safeguarding, and ultimately eliminating Syrian chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons-related materials;
- the United States should provide non-lethal military equipment to friendly Syrian opposition military forces;
- all countries should deny the use of their airspace to Syrian-bound Iranian aircraft containing weapons; and
- the United States and its partners should take steps to ensure that women are full and equal participants in negotiations regarding the future of Syria and in all transitional and future Syrian government institutions.
Outlines governing principles for the provision of U.S. humanitarian assistance to address the Syrian conflict. Authorizes assistance for the protection of women, children, and other vulnerable populations affected. Prohibits any assistance to an entity that has attacked or prevented the operation or activities of health care facilities or providers. Authorizes the Secretary of State to provide additional humanitarian assistance to Syria.
Earmarks funds authorized under this Act for Syrian opposition-allied local coordination committees and the provision of U.S. civilian broadcasting to Syria. Requires assistance funds to be marked as being "From the American People" and to include a representation of the U.S. flag.
Expresses the sense of Congress supporting the provision of appropriate military assistance for vetted Syrian opposition forces. Authorizes the President to direct the drawdown of Department of Defense (DOD) defense articles and services, and to provide military education and training, for such forces.
Authorizes the President to:
- establish a program to facilitate the destruction of Syrian chemical and biological weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, and associated parts and equipment;
- provide assistance, make contributions, and use the U.S. voice, vote, and influence to provide post-Assad governmental transition assistance to Syria; and
- temporarily suspend certain sanctions against Syria in the event of a post-Assad government which meets specified requirements.
Provides temporary personnel authorities in connection with aiding Syria in the establishment of a post-regime government.
Cosponsors 7
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 21, 2013 to Aug 1, 2013; 2 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CA | Brad Sherman | Original | Mar 21, 2013 |
| R-MI | Mike Rogers | Original | Mar 21, 2013 |
| R-IN | Susan W. Brooks | Apr 12, 2013 | |
| D-VA | James P. Moran | Apr 26, 2013 | |
| D-IN | André Carson | May 7, 2013 | |
| R-CO | Doug Lamborn | May 7, 2013 | |
| D-MN | Betty McCollum | Aug 1, 2013 |
Committees 3
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Foreign Affairs Committee | Referred Mar 21, 2013 |
| House | Financial Services Committee | Referred Mar 21, 2013 |
| House | Judiciary Committee | Referred Mar 21, 2013 |
| Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee | Referred Apr 15, 2013 |
Actions 3
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Apr 15, 2013Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.
- Mar 21, 2013Introduced in House
- Mar 21, 2013Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the page H5348.
CRS reports 3
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 3
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| R46796 | Congress and the Middle East, 2011-2020: Selected Case Studies Archived | Report | May 21, 2021 |
| R43119 | Syria: Overview of the Humanitarian Response Archived | Report | Jun 24, 2014 |
| R42848 | Syria’s Chemical Weapons: Issues for Congress Archived | Report | Sep 30, 2013 |
Titles 2
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To improve United States humanitarian and other assistance to the Syrian people, facilitate the transition of Syria to a democratic government, provide for United States support to the post-Assad government, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Free Syria Act of 2013
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: International Affairs.
- Arms control and nonproliferation
- Aviation and airports
- Chemical and biological weapons
- Child safety and welfare
- Congressional oversight
- Crime victims
- Crimes against women
- Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation
- Detention of persons
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Domestic violence and child abuse
- Foreign aid and international relief
- Foreign loans and debt
- Health facilities and institutions
- Health personnel
- Human rights
- Immigration status and procedures
- International Affairs
- International exchange and broadcasting
- International law and treaties
- International organizations and cooperation
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Marriage and family status
- Medical ethics
- Middle East
- Military assistance, sales, and agreements
- Multilateral development programs
- Nuclear weapons
- Palestinians
- Racial and ethnic relations
- Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
- Sanctions
- Sex offenses
- Syria
- Terrorism
- Trade restrictions
- Turkey
- United Nations
- Visas and passports
- War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
- Women's rights
- World health
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Mar 21, 2013Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
