Condemning the senseless attacks on hospitals and medical personnel in Syria, and for other purposes.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 395 Condemning the senseless attacks on hospitals and medical personnel in Syria, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 22, 2019 Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania (for himself and Mr. KINZINGER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Condemning the senseless attacks on hospitals and medical personnel in Syria, and for other purposes. Whereas health facilities and medical workers are systemati- cally targeted in Syria; Whereas since 2011, there have been more than 550 attacks on medical facilities in Syria and more than 890 medical personnel, including 250 volunteers from the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets; Whereas Physicians for Human Rights reports that 90 per- cent of the attacks against hospitals and medical per- sonnel were conducted by the Government of Syria and the Russian Federation; VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:11 May 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR395.IH HR395 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 395 IH Whereas the Government of Syria and the Russian Federa- tion deliberately and strategically target medical facili- tates and first responders to maximize casualties; Whereas United Nations Secretary-General Anto´nio Guterres stated, ‘‘These attacks are evidence of a broader trend: parties to conflict are treating hospitals and health clinics as targets, rather than respecting them as sanctuaries.’’; Whereas there are specific obligations under international hu- manitarian law to respect and protect, in situations of armed conflict, medical personnel and humanitarian per- sonnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transport and equipment, and hospitals and other medical facilities; Whereas there is an obligation under international humani- tarian law to distinguish between civilian populations and combatants, and the prohibition against indiscriminate attacks, and the obligations to do everything feasible to verify that the objectives to be attacked are neither civil- ians nor civilian objects and are not subject to special protection, including medical personnel, their means of transport and equipment, and hospitals and other med- ical facilities; Whereas under international humanitarian law, persons en- gaged in medical activities shall not be compelled to per- form acts or to carry out work contrary to the rules of medical ethics or to other medical rules designed for the benefit of the wounded and the sick; Whereas these acts of violence, attacks, and threats against medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical facili- VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:11 May 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR395.IH HR395 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 395 IH ties, and obstructing the delivery of humanitarian assist- ance, including medical assistance, may exacerbate ongo- ing armed conflicts and undermine the efforts of medical personnel and humanitarian personnel; Whereas the United Nations Security Council adopted Reso- lution 2286 on May 3, 2016, which demands that, ‘‘all parties to armed conflict fully comply with their obliga- tion under international law, including international human rights law, as applicable, and international hu- manitarian law . . . to ensure the respect and protection of all medical personnel and humanitarian personnel ex- clusively engaged in medical duties, their means of trans- port and equipment, as well as hospitals and other med- ical facilities’’; Whereas any deliberate attack on civilians in Syria by all par- ties constitutes a major violation of international law and undermines efforts to stop the bloodshed and reach a lasting, internationally negotiated peace through the Ge- neva and Vienna process; and Whereas the rate of attacks perpetrated on healthcare per- sonnel have continued to increase dramatically: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) condemns the senseless attacks on hospitals, 2 medical personnel, and emergency responders by the 3 Government of Syria and the Russian Federation; 4 (2) calls on all parties to— 5 (A) end the attacks on medical facilities; 6 (B) cease targeting medical workers; and 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:11 May 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR395.IH HR395 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 395 IH (C) allow unhindered medical assistance, 1 humanitarian assistance, and medical evacu- 2 ation of urgent cases to besieged and hard to 3 reach areas; 4 (3) calls on the Secretary of State to work with 5 the international community to conduct full, prompt, 6 impartial, and effective investigations of violations of 7 international humanitarian law related to the protec- 8 tion of the wounded and sick, medical personnel, and 9 humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in med- 10 ical duties, their means of transport and equipment, 11 as well as hospitals and other medical facilities in 12 armed conflict, and, where appropriate, take action 13 against those with a view to reinforce preventive 14 measures, ensuring accountability, and addressing 15 the grievances of victims in Syria; and 16 (4) requests the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster 17 Assistance to conduct a feasibility study on the con- 18 struction of underground fortified facilities for the 19 protection of the individuals described in paragraph 20 (3). 21 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:31 May 23, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR395.IH HR395 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS