S.Amdt. 327

SA 327. Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself and Mr. Sasse) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 2810, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

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

SEC. ___. SYRIA STUDY GROUP.

(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established a working
group to be known as the ``Syria Study Group'' (in this
section referred to as the ``Group'').
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Group is to examine and
make recommendations with respect to the military and
diplomatic strategy of the United States with respect to the
conflict in Syria.
(c) Composition.--
(1) Membership.--The Group shall be composed of 8 members
appointed as follows:
(A) One member appointed by the chair of the Committee on
Armed Services of the Senate.
(B) One member appointed by the ranking minority member of
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.
(C) One member appointed by the chair of the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(D) One member appointed by the ranking minority member of
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(E) One member appointed by the chair of the Committee on
Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(F) One member appointed by the ranking minority member of
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives.
(G) One member appointed by the chair of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
(H) One member appointed by the ranking minority member of
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Co-chairs.--
(A) The chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the
Senate, the chair of the Committee on Armed Services of the
House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the chair of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
shall jointly designate one member of the Group to serve as
co-chair of the Group.
(B) The ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed
Services of the Senate, the ranking minority member of the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives,
the ranking minority member of the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate, and the ranking minority member of
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives shall jointly designate one member of the
Group to serve as co-chair of the Group.

[[Page S4320]]

(3) Period of appointment; vacancies.--Members shall be
appointed for the life of the Group. Any vacancy in the Group
shall be filled in the same manner as the original
appointment.
(d) Duties.--
(1) Review.--The Group shall review the current situation
with respect to the United States military and diplomatic
strategy in Syria, including a review of current United
States objectives in Syria and the desired end state in
Syria.
(2) Assessment and recommendations.--The Group shall--
(A) conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current
situation in Syria, its impact on neighboring countries,
resulting regional and geopolitical threats to the United
States, and current military, diplomatic, and political
efforts to achieve a stable Syria; and
(B) develop recommendations on a military and diplomatic
strategy for the United States with respect to the conflict
in Syria.
(e) Cooperation From United States Government.--
(1) In general.--The Group shall receive the full and
timely cooperation of the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary
of State, and the Director of National Intelligence in
providing the Group with analyses, briefings, and other
information necessary for the discharge of the duties of the
Group.
(2) Liaison.--The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of
State, and the Director of National Intelligence shall each
designate at least one officer or employee of their
respective organizations to serve as a liaison officer to the
Group.
(f) Report.--
(1) Final report.--Not later than September 30, 2018, the
Group shall submit to the President, the Secretary of
Defense, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives,
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
a report on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of
the Group under this section. The report shall do each of the
following:
(A) Assess the current security, political, humanitarian,
and economic situation in Syria.
(B) Assess the current participation and objectives of
various external actors in Syria.
(C) Assess the consequences of continued conflict in Syria.
(D) Provide recommendations for a diplomatic resolution of
the conflict in Syria, including options for a gradual
political transition to a post-Assad Syria and actions
necessary for reconciliation.
(E) Provide a roadmap for a United States and coalition
strategy to reestablish security and governance in Syria,
including recommendations for the synchronization of
stabilization, development, counterterrorism, and
reconstruction efforts.
(F) Address any other matters with respect to the conflict
in Syria that the Group considers appropriate.
(2) Interim briefing.--Not later than June 30, 2018, the
Group shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of
the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the
status of its review and assessment under subsection (d),
together with a discussion of any interim recommendations
developed by the Group as of the date of the briefing.
(3) Form of report.--The report submitted to Congress under
paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but
may include a classified annex.
(g) Facilitation.--The United States Institute of Peace
shall take appropriate actions to facilitate the Group in the
discharge of its duties under this section.
(h) Termination.--The Group shall terminate six months
after the date on which it submits the report required by
subsection (f)(1).
(i) Funding.--Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated
for fiscal year 2018 for the Department of Defense by this
Act, $1,500,000 is available to fund the activities of the
Group.
______