Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the ranking member, and Chairman Royce for their work on this really important piece of legislation.

For 5 years--for 5 long years--the world has witnessed this terrible tragedy unfold before our eyes. Nearly half a million Syrians have been killed--not soldiers--men, women, and children killed, 5 million Syrian citizens driven from their own country, 10 million displaced from their homes, often leaving homes that have generation after generation of history, leaving behind their legacy; and atrocities, as we have recounted, the targeting of children, the targeting of hospitals, and the targeting of schools.

Clearly, this Congress can and should act, and that is why I am so pleased to be a cosponsor of this and to join my colleagues in supporting this important legislation.

This legislation would bring much-needed and long overdue accountability to the Assad regime. After all, they are responsible for these horrific crimes. It would do so by imposing sanctions on those responsible and for those who are abetting these coldhearted and merciless acts. It would authorize the Department of State to do what they need to do to assist those entities investigating these terrible war crimes and to hold the Assad regime accountable.

It would mandate that the U.S. Government explore every option available to it to address this horrific conflict, to do whatever we can in order to bring it to an end, and to use every tool we have available to us to stand with the Syrian people. Assad must be held accountable for this massacre--the massacre of his own people.
It is also important, as we move forward with this legislation, that we pause for a moment to thank those many people who have worked for so long to get this legislation to the floor. I am talking about citizens, particularly a lot of young people who, facing incredible pain, have made it their cause to ensure that this day comes. Let's not just stand with the Syrian people against Assad but also stand with those who have brought this question to us, and validate and support their exercise of their civic responsibility and their democratic efforts to get this Congress to do the work of the American people.

Our principles demand that we support this legislation. This is the American thing to do. We have to act, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues and encourage all my colleagues--Democrats and Republicans-- to speak with one voice on this matter and pass this really critical and important humanitarian legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his time, and I thank the chairman for his efforts on this matter.

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