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S. 905: Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017

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S. 905: Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-04-07 · International Affairs · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 134.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-04-07 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 134. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017

Plain summary

Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017 (Sec. 3) This bill: (1) condemns the violence and human rights violations carried out by the Syrian government and pro-government forces; (2) urges all parties to halt civilian attacks; (3) expresses support for the people of Syria seeking democratic change; and (4) calls on the President to support efforts to ensure accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed during the conflict in Syria. (Sec. 5) The Department of State shall report to Congress regarding: (1) war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in Syria; and (2) an assessment by the State Department's Office of Global Criminal Justice, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Justice, and other agencies with respect to U.S. programs to ensure accountability for such activities by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, violent extremist groups, and other combatants. The State Department shall take due care to ensure that the identification of witnesses and physical evidence are not publicly disclosed in a manner that might place such persons at risk or encourage the destruction of evidence. (Sec. 6) The State Department shall: (1) complete a study of the feasibility of potential transitional justice mechanisms for Syria (including a hybrid tribunal) to address war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide perpetrated in Syria beginning in March 2011; and (2) include in the report on such study recommendations on which transitional justice mechanisms the U.S. government should support, why, and how. (Sec. 7) The State Department may provide assistance to entities that: (1) identify suspected perpetrators (including non-state armed groups) of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide; (2) collect and protect evidence of crimes; (3) conduct criminal investigations; (4) protect witnesses; or (5) build Syria's investigative, enforcement, and judicial capacities. The State Department also may provide assistance to support the creation and operation of transitional justice mechanisms. (Sec. 8) The bill authorizes the State Department to make payments, under the Rewards for Justice Program, for information leading to the arrest or conviction of perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed in Syria beginning in March 2011. (Sec. 9) The bill calls for the State Department to advocate that the United Nations Human Rights Council, while the United States remains a member, annually extend the mandate of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic until the commission has completed its investigation of alleged violations of international human rights laws in Syria beginning in March 2011.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · 21 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 905, Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2017 (2017-06-20)

Cosponsors on this site

Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Todd Young (R-IN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-s905 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115