A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate concerning the ongoing conflict in Syria as it reaches its six-year mark in March, the ensuing humanitarian crisis in Syria and neighboring countries, the resulting humanitarian and national security challenges, and the urgent need for a political solution to the crisis.
Latest action · Mar 15, 2017 Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1847; text of measure as introduced: CR S1846-1847)
Progress
Where this resolution reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried. A simple resolution is the business of one chamber alone: it is not sent to the other chamber or to the President, and does not become law.
- IntroducedMar 15, 2017
- Agreed to in SenateNot reached
Summary
Condemns: (1) the regime of Bashar al-Assad for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Syrian conflict, and (2) the Assad regime and the government of the Russian Federation for using indiscriminate cluster munitions on civilian areas and infrastructure and for the deliberate targeting of U.N. humanitarian aid convoys.
Urges:
- all parties to the conflict to immediately halt indiscriminate attacks, the imposition of starvation sieges, and other forms of warfare directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure and to facilitate unfettered access to humanitarian assistance throughout Syria;
- all parties in Syria to support full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2268, which calls for a cessation of hostilities in the conflict, except with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and al Qaeda, to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction of war-affected communities; and
- the international community to continue to support neighboring countries and host communities who are supporting refugees and internally displaced persons fleeing the conflict.
Affirms: (1) the neutrality of medical professionals providing humanitarian assistance and health care on a non-political basis, (2) that the elimination of al Qaeda and ISIS safe havens in Syria is a vital U.S. national security interest, and (3) that the stability of key European and Middle Eastern partners is vital to U.S. national security and preventing the conflict from undermining that stability is a top U.S. priority.
Commends the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Syrian Arab Coalition, and other local, Syrian partner forces for their support of Operation Inherent Resolve and the efforts of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL.
Calls upon the President to: (1) make it U.S. policy to continue to coordinate a comprehensive and generous response to the Syrian humanitarian crisis, (2) continue active U.S. participation in a diplomatic process to achieve a political agreement, and (3) submit a strategy for providing long-term stability and security in areas seized from ISIL.
Cosponsors 8
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Mar 15, 2017 to Apr 6, 2017, with 3 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-CT | Christopher Murphy | Original | Mar 15, 2017 |
| R-AZ | John McCain | Original | Mar 15, 2017 |
| R-FL | Marco Rubio | Original | Mar 15, 2017 |
| D-MN | Amy Klobuchar | Apr 6, 2017 | |
| D-NJ | Cory A. Booker | Apr 6, 2017 | |
| D-NH | Jeanne Shaheen | Apr 6, 2017 | |
| D-OR | Jeff Merkley | Apr 6, 2017 | |
| D-NJ | Robert Menendez | Apr 6, 2017 |
Actions 2
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Mar 15, 2017Introduced in Senate
- Mar 15, 2017Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S1847; text of measure as introduced: CR S1846-1847)
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: International Affairs.
- Conflicts and wars
- Congressional oversight
- Congressional tributes
- Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
- Europe
- Foreign aid and international relief
- Health personnel
- Human rights
- International Affairs
- International organizations and cooperation
- Iran
- Middle East
- Military operations and strategy
- Refugees, asylum, displaced persons
- Russia
- Syria
- Terrorism
- United Nations
- War crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity
Text 1
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Mar 15, 2017Introduced in Senate
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 resolution on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.