Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1327) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat assessment of terrorist threats to the United States posed by individuals in Syria with an affiliation with a Foreign Terrorist Organization or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1327.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act.

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to conduct an assessment of the threats posed to the United States by individuals in Syria affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization or a specially designated global terrorist group.

Syria suffered under the Assad regime for decades and Assad allowed Syria to be used as a hub of terrorist activity. While the Assad regime may no longer be in place, that does not mean that those terror networks have dispersed. This bill ensures that DHS and lawmakers are fully informed regarding terrorist threats to the United States that are still present in Syria.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Luttrell).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1327, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise also in support of H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act.

In December, the world watched as the Assad regime in Syria collapsed after 53 years of brutality and repression.

As President Biden stated at the time, Assad's fall ushered a ``historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria.'' However, many also warned that the potential resurgence of terrorist groups in the regions, like the Islamic State or al-Qaida, could pose a significant threat to Americans and U.S. interests in the region and the homeland.

The Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act is responsive to those warnings, and I thank my colleague Mr. Luttrell for introducing this.

It ensures that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with intelligence community partners, will evaluate and monitor terrorist threats to the United States posed by individuals in Syria affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization or a specially designated global terrorist organization.

This is essential to ensure that the new government in Syria is growing with the United States' support and in a way that defeats terrorism on the world's stage.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to be vigilant about potential terrorist threats to the homeland. This bill ensures that the Department of Homeland Security will do just that.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Guest for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate for the passage of H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act.

When the Assad regime was toppled in Syria late last year, the threat of terrorism did not disappear. It just actually shifted, adapted, and found new ways to survive.

For decades, the Assad regime gave terrorist groups a place to train, organize, and plan attacks. You don't just swipe away the leadership and make the terrorism go away. Those threats don't disappear overnight, and we would be foolish to think otherwise.

Although Syria's Government is in transition and terrorist designations against its new leadership have been lifted, we must not be naive to other terrorist threats that may still originate in the region.

This bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat assessment posed to the U.S. by individuals in Syria associated with foreign terrorist organizations.

As this body and this administration determine how best to engage with Syria in a post-Assad era, this threat assessment ensures that we have the information we need to make these decisions with eyes wide open. By doing so, we can better examine and mitigate emerging threats from the region.

Our mission is clear. We must protect American lives and prevent future attacks on the homeland by strengthening our counterterrorism efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Correa for his support, and I urge my colleagues to support this sensible legislation.