Syria Transition Support Act of 2013

Summary

Syria Transition Support Act of 2013 - States that nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize the use of force by the U.S. Armed Forces. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress on a U.S. strategy to: (1) ensure an appropriate political transition in Syria and limit the threats posed by extremist groups, weapons proliferation, sectarian and ethnic violence, and refugee flows; (2) assist the people of Syria in meeting basic needs; (3) engage with opposition groups that reflect U.S. interests and values, most notably the Syrian Opposition Coalition; (4) promote Syria's territorial integrity; (5) support efforts to identify individuals who target or lead units or organizations that target civilian and vulnerable populations; and (6) include specified international engagement efforts. Directs the President to keep Congress fully informed of all U.S. activities regarding Syria. Authorizes the President to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act. Expresses the sense of Congress concerning international coordination to provide assistance and identification of humanitarian assistance, wherever possible, as originating from the American people. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding a U.S. government strategy to ensure that the people of Syria are made aware of the U.S. assistance provided to Syrians, both inside Syria and those seeking refuge in neighboring countries. Establishes a Syria Transition Fund to provide support in the early transition period to: (1) enable an effective political transition to a more democratic political structure; and (2) provide for initiatives to improve the security of the United States, U.S. partners and allies, and the people of Syria. Includes among Fund-supported activities: (1) basic services, (2) security sector support, (3) transitional justice and conflict resolution, (4) democracy promotion, (5) economic restructuring, (6) support for regional security, and (7) collection of evidence of human rights abuses. Authorizes FY2013-FY2015 appropriations for the Fund and the use of certain of such funds for nonproliferation purposes. Directs the Secretary to report to Congress annually (for the duration of the Fund) regarding U.S. efforts to assist Syria's political transition, with a specific focus on Fund-supported efforts. Terminates the Fund on September 30, 2015. Amends the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 to require, in lieu of current certification provisions that Syria must satisfy in order to avoid specified sanctions and prohibitions on U.S. defense exports, that: (1) Bashar al-Assad is no longer the leader of Syria; and (2) the government of Syria has ceased its campaign of violence against the Syrian people and begun the transition to a representative and inclusive government. Expresses the sense of Congress concerning conditions for the phased removal of U.S. sanctions. Directs the President to submit to Congress an assessment of the size and security of conventional and non-conventional weapons stockpiles in Syria. Urges the Secretary to establish international consensus on the transition and post-transition period and government in Syria through working with Russia and the Friends of Syria group and limiting support for the regime from Iran. Authorizes the President to impose specified sanctions on any person that knowingly participated in or facilitated a significant transaction related to the sale or transfer of defense articles or defense services to the Assad regime or any successor regime that is not a legitimate transitional or replacement government. Directs the President to block the assets of and impose at least two such sanctions on each person that knowingly participated in or facilitated a significant transaction related to the sale or transfer of petroleum or petroleum products to the Assad regime, or any successor regime that is not a legitimate transitional or replacement government. Specifies such sanctions as prohibitions on: (1) Export-Import Bank assistance, (2) procurement of goods or services, (3) arms exports, (4) dual-use exports, (5) property transactions, and (6) U.S. admissions. Authorizes the President to waive sanction provisions: (1) if vital to U.S. national security interests, or (2) to meet humanitarian and basic human needs of the Syrian people. Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should work closely with U.S. allies to obtain broad multilateral support for imposition of sanctions by other countries equivalent to those set forth in this Act. Authorizes the President to provide assistance, including defense articles, defense services, and training to specific members of the Syrian Supreme Military Council, particular units of the Free Syrian Army, and other Syrian entities opposed to the Assad government. Prohibits the transfer of anti-aircraft defensive systems unless otherwise waived by the President. Terminates the authority to provide such assistance on September 30, 2015.

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Documents

6 official files

• Reported to Senate (text)

  Reported to Senate · EN · 24 July 2013

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• Reported to Senate (PDF)

  Reported to Senate · EN · 24 July 2013

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• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 24 July 2013

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• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 15 May 2013

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 15 May 2013

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 15 May 2013

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