S.Amdt. 2475

1. Adds SEC. 1208. ASSISTANCE TO FOSTER NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT TO SYRIA CONFLICT at the end of subtitle A of title XII

   Adds a section

   In S. 1197 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (g) Repeal of Superseded Authority.--Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112-81; 125 Stat. 1624; 22 U.S.C. 2151 note) is repealed.

   Inserted: SEC. 1208. ASSISTANCE TO FOSTER NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT TO SYRIA CONFLICT.

   Inserted: (a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to change the military momentum on the battlefield in Syria so as to create favorable conditions for a negotiated settlement that ends the conflict and leads to a democratic government in Syria.

   Inserted: (b) Authority to Provide Assistance.--Subject to the requirements in subsections (d) and (e), the Secretary of Defense may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, provide equipment, supplies, and training to vetted units of the Free Syrian Army, the Supreme Military Council, and other Syrian forces opposed to the government of Bashar al-Assad and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for the purpose of conducting military operations inside Syria, with funds made available for foreign assistance.

   Inserted: (c) Funding.--Not more than $100,000,000 of the amounts authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2014 may be used to implement the authority provided under subsection (b).

   Inserted: (d) Certification Requirement.--Not later than 15 days before obligating or providing the assistance as authorized in subsection (b), the Secretary shall certify to the appropriate congressional committees that--

   Inserted: (1) based on the information available to the United States Government, the unit or units, including the senior leaders of such unit or units, to whom assistance is being provided, or is planned to be provided, is--

   Inserted: (A) not an organization or person that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) or a "Specifically Designated Global Terrorist" pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (66 Fed. Reg. 49079);

   Inserted: (B) committed to rejecting terrorism, and cooperating with international counterterrorism and nonproliferation efforts;

   Inserted: (C) opposed to sectarian violence and revenge killings;

   Inserted: (D) committed to establishing a peaceful, pluralistic, and democratic Syria that respects the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all its citizens; and

   Inserted: (E) committed to civilian rule, including subordinating the military to civilian authority, and the rule of law for Syria;

   Inserted: (2) assistance shall be provided in a manner that promotes observance of and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, military professionalism, respect for rule of law and the importance of civilian control of the military, rejection of terrorism and extremism, and safeguarding the distribution of humanitarian aid; and

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   Inserted: (3) assistance provided under this section to any specific individual or entity shall immediately be terminated if the United States Government receives credible information that demonstrates that such individual or entity is not in compliance with the terms defined in this subsection.

   Inserted: (e) Restriction on Anti-aircraft Defensive Systems.--In addition to the requirements provided in subsection (d), anti-aircraft defensive systems may only be transferred as part of the assistance authorized under subsection (b) if the Secretary certifies to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 15 days before providing such systems that--

   Inserted: (1) the provision of such systems is in the national security interest of the United States;

   Inserted: (2) the individual to whom anti-aircraft defensive systems are planned to be provided and the unit or entity of which such individual is a member, including the senior leaders of that unit or entity, have no operational ties and no ongoing operational coordination with an organization or person that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189);

   Inserted: (3) all necessary steps have been taken to mitigate the risks to United States national security and the national security of United States partners and allies associated with the transfer of such systems, and to ensure effective end use monitoring, including appropriate disposition of systems; and

   Inserted: (4) the United States has consulted with regional partners and allies regarding the systems provided.

   Inserted: (f) Reporting Requirement.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a classified report on--

   Inserted: (1) vetting procedures to satisfy the certification requirement in subsection (d)(1);

   Inserted: (2) an assessment of the current military capacity of opposition forces that are or would be receiving assistance;

   Inserted: (3) an assessment of the ability of opposition groups to conduct effective military operations and establish effective military control over Syria;

   Inserted: (4) a description of the financial and material resources currently available to opposition forces;

   Inserted: (5) an assessment of the extent to which the program is making progress in achieving the stated policy in subsection (a), and furthering the interests of the United States; and

   Inserted: (6) an outline of the plan to provide assistance to vetted armed opposition that complies with the vetting procedures outlined in paragraph (1).

   Inserted: (g) Donations.--The Secretary of Defense may accept donations from foreign states to conduct activities pursuant to subsection (a).

   Inserted: (h) Third Country Assistance.--The Secretary of Defense may provide assistance to a third country to conduct training under subsection (a).

   Inserted: (i) Sunset Provision.--Unless specifically renewed, the authority described in subsection (a) shall terminate on December 31, 2015.

   Inserted: (j) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, the term "appropriate congressional committees" means--

   Inserted: (1) the congressional defense committees; and

   Inserted: (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle A of title XII, add the following:

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As printed