Prohibiting U.S. Aid From Rebuilding Parts of Syria Controlled by Assad (H.R. 4681)

What is H.R. 4681?

(Updated May 15, 2018)

This bill — the No Assistance for Assad Act — would prohibit U.S. assistance for reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Syria from being available in areas controlled by the Assad regime if the regime meets several conditions related to human rights (a list of which can be found below). The limitation wouldn’t apply to projects administered by the local community or humanitarian assistance.

Specifically, the president would have to certify the regime has done the following before providing assistance:

• Cease indiscriminate use of weapons and any attacks against civilians and civilian facilities;

• Release all political prisoners and provide full access to Syrian prisons for investigations by appropriate international human rights organizations;

• Remove senior Syrian government officials who are complicit in human rights abuses along with human rights abusers from positions of authority in the military, intelligence, and security services;

• Move to organize free and fair elections for a new government to establish an independent judiciary;

• Respect and comply with internationally recognized human rights;

• Fulfill its commitments under the chemical weapons convention;

• Halt the development and deployment of ballistic and cruise missiles;

• Minimize the Syrian government’s reliance on Iran and Iranian proxy forces to act on behalf or in support of Syria;

• Commence a process to organize the safe, unfettered and voluntary return of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes.

The president would be required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing any projects that utilize the exceptions and laying out a strategy for getting humanitarian assistance to besieged areas.

Argument in favor

Until Assad respects the human rights of the Syrian people, no U.S. assistance should go to rebuilding areas of the country controlled by his regime.

Argument opposed

The U.S. shouldn’t restrict its reconstruction assistance from going to parts of Syria controlled by the Assad regime, as that’s a significant portion of Syria.

Impact

Parts of Syria controlled, or not, by the Assad regime; and the U.S. government.

Cost of H.R. 4681

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill wouldn’t alter the amount or type of foreign assistance provided by the U.S. to the region.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) introduced this bill to prohibit U.S. assistance from going to parts of Syria controlled by the Assad regime:

“Until Assad respects the rights of his people, until they’re on the path toward a better future for themselves, and until there’s accountability for the regime’s war crimes, the United States shouldn’t spend a dime on reconstruction efforts in areas controlled by the regime. Buoyed by his patrons in Moscow and Tehran, the Butcher in Damascus broke Syria. Now he and his regime have to pay the price. We should not support any scenario that leaves him in power to continue his violence and oppression against the Syrian people.”

Original cosponsor Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) added:

“The genocide of the Syrian people by Bashar al Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers may be the worst humanitarian crisis of our generation. We cannot and must not allocate any resources to the brutal Assad regime in reconstructing what he has destroyed. As co-chair of the Friends of a Free, Stable and Democratic Syria Caucus, our goal will continue to be in support of the people of Syria who simply seek to live free and in peace. Today, we introduce this legislation to ensure Assad will pay the price for his oppression and violence.”

This legislation passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously and has the support of 20 bipartisan cosponsors, including 14 Republicans and six Democrats.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) Press Release
  
• CBO Cost Estimate
  
• Al-Monitor