IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself, Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. TENNEY, Ms. WILD, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. MCCORMICK, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. MOYLAN, Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania, Mr. ISSA, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, Ms. STEVENS, Mr. ELLZEY, Mr. COHEN, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. KEATING, Mr. NORMAN, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. LAWLER, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. WALTZ, Ms. MANNING, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. TIMMONS, and Mr. PANETTA) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 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

RESOLUTION
Responding to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria on
February 6, 2023.

Whereas, on February 6, 2023, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck central-southern Tu¨rkiye, followed by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake later the same day, followed by over a
thousand aftershocks in Tu¨rkiye and northwest Syria;
Whereas the earthquakes have caused massive death and destruction, killing more than 36,000 people and injuring
tens of thousands more in Tu¨rkiye and Syria;
Whereas the United States Agency for International Development and other agencies mobilized Federal agencies and partners to provide life-saving assistance to the people of Tu¨rkiye and Syria;
Whereas dangerous freezing winter weather conditions negatively impacted rescue efforts and put earthquake survivors at further risk after thousands of buildings collapsed into rubble;
Whereas the Republic of Tu¨rkiye is a North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) ally of the United States;
Whereas prior to the devastating earthquakes, millions of
people in Syria were relying on humanitarian assistance,
and Tu¨rkiye was hosting more than 3,500,000 Syrian
refugees;
Whereas through 12 years of war in Syria, the Assad regime has impeded the delivery of humanitarian assistance to
civilians, including those in areas now impacted by the February 6, 2023, earthquakes;
Whereas the Russian Federation and People’s Republic of China have used their veto power at the United Nations Security Council to restrict the number of United Nations-authorized border crossings between Tu¨rkiye and Syria from four to just one—Bab al-Hawa;
Whereas although areas outside of the Assad regime’s control have been the worst affected by the earthquake, Foreign
Minister Faisal Mekdad stated that any aid to victims must go through the Syrian Government in Damascus;
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Whereas Department of State Spokesman Ned Price has stated it would be ‘‘ironic, if not even counterproductive,
for us to reach out to a government that has brutalized its people over the course of a dozen years now’’;
Whereas the Assad regime has shamefully used the earthquake to call for the lifting of United States sanctions,
falsely claiming that such sanctions impede the aid response; and Whereas the human cost of this disaster transcends mere statistics and has resulted in deeply personal tragedies for
countless families: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
2 (1) mourns the horrific loss of life in Tu¨rkiye
3 and Syria caused by the earthquakes in Tu¨rkiye on
4 February 6, 2023;
5 (2) expresses its deep condolences to the fami
6 lies of the many earthquake victims;
7 (3) applauds the heroic work of humanitarian
8 aid and rescue workers on the ground to save lives
9 and provide care for victims, including United States
10 Agency for International Development Urban Search
11 and Rescue teams, the Armed Forces of the United
12 States, including members of such Armed Forces
13 stationed at the Incirlik Air Force base in Tu¨rkiye,
14 and the Syrian Civil Defense, otherwise known as
15 the White Helmets;

1 (4) applauds the response to the earthquake
2 tragedy by the United States Government, other
3 governments, and nongovernmental organizations;
4 (5) applauds the civilians in Tu¨rkiye and Syria
5 who have selflessly volunteered to assist with re6 sponse to the devastating aftermath;
7 (6) urges the international community to sup
8 port heroic disaster response efforts in Tu¨rkiye and
9 Syria, including those by the Syrian Civil Defense,
10 the White Helmets;
11 (7) condemns efforts by the Assad regime to
12 cynically exploit the disaster to evade international
13 pressure and accountability, including by preventing
14 the United Nations from providing assistance
15 through multiple border crossings between Tu¨rkiye
16 and Syria;
17 (8) calls on the Biden administration to con
18 tinue to use all diplomatic tools, including through
19 the United Nations Security Council, to open all
20 Tu¨rkiye-Syria border crossings for United Nations
21 assistance;
22 (9) underscores the need for international as
23 sistance to reach northwest Syria to assist with dis
24 aster relief;

1 (10) calls for an increased oversight mechanism
2 to ensure that United States-funded assistance is
3 not diverted for the benefit of the Assad regime;
4 (11) urges the Biden administration to remain
5 committed to the protection of the Syrian people in
6 cluding by implementing the Caesar Syria Civilian
7 Protection Act of 2019; and
8 (12) welcomes the Republic of Tu¨rkiye’s con
9 tinuing support to Syrian refugees in Tu¨rkiye and in
10 northwestern Syria