text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act 
  of 2014''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) On February 22, 2014, the United Nations Security 
          Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2139 recognizing the 
          escalating level of violence in Syria.
              (2) Credible sources estimate the death of more than 
          140,000 people in Syria, including 10,000 children.
              (3) On February 27, 2014, the Department of State issued 
          its 2013 Human Rights Report on Syria, which described 
          President Bashar al Assad's use of ``indiscriminate and deadly 
          force'' in the conflict, including the August 21, 2013, use of 
          ``sarin gas and artillery to target East Ghouta and Moadamiya 
          al-Sham, suburbs of Damascus, which killed over 1,000 people.''
              (4) The United Nations Independent International Commission 
          of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic reports that pro-
          government forces have conducted attacks on Syrian civilian 
          populations, and have utilized murder, torture, assault, and 
          rape as war tactics. Anti-government groups have also committed 
          murder and torture, engaged in hostage-taking, attacked 
          protected objects, and shelled civilian neighborhoods.
              (5) Internationally accepted rules of war require actors to 
          distinguish between civilians and combatants and that all 
          parties adhere to the principle of medical neutrality whereby 
          both sides ensure unhindered access to medical care.
  
  SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
  
      Congress--
              (1) strongly condemns the ongoing violence, use of chemical 
          weapons, targeting of civilian populations with barrel, 
          incendiary and cluster bombs, and SCUD missiles, and systematic 
          gross human rights violations carried out by Government of 
          Syria and pro-government forces under the direction of 
          President Bashar al-Assad, as well as abuses committed by 
          violent extremist groups and other combatants involved in the 
          civil war in Syria;
              (2) expresses its support for the people of Syria seeking 
          democratic change;
              (3) urges all parties to the conflict to immediately halt 
          indiscriminate attacks on civilians;
              (4) calls on the President to support efforts in Syria and 
          on the part of the international community to ensure 
          accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity 
          committed during the conflict; and
              (5) calls for a United Nations Security Council 
          investigation into gross violations of human rights and war 
          crimes committed during the Syrian conflict.
  
  SEC. 4. REPORT ON ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST 
                HUMANITY IN SYRIA.
  
      (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, and again not later than 180 days after the 
  cessation of violence in Syria, the Secretary of State shall submit to 
  the appropriate congressional committees a report on war crimes and 
  crimes against humanity in Syria.
      (b) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall 
  include the following elements:
              (1) A description of violations of internationally 
          recognized human rights and crimes against humanity perpetrated 
          during the civil war in Syria, including--
                      (A) an account of the war crimes and crimes against 
                  humanity committed by the regime of President Bashar 
                  al-Assad;
                      (B) an account of the war crimes and crimes against 
                  humanity committed by violent extremist groups and 
                  other combatants in the conflict; and
                      (C) a description of the conventional and 
                  unconventional weapons used for such crimes and, where 
                  possible, the origins of the weapons.
              (2) A description of efforts by the Department of State and 
          the United States Agency for International Development to 
          ensure accountability for violations of internationally 
          recognized human rights and crimes against humanity perpetrated 
          against the people of Syria by the regime of President Bashar 
          al-Assad, violent extremist groups, and other combatants 
          involved in the conflict, including--
                      (A) a description of initiatives that the United 
                  States Government has undertaken to train investigators 
                  in Syria on how to document, investigate, and develop 
                  findings of war crimes, including the number of United 
                  States Government or contract personnel currently 
                  designated to work full-time on these issues and an 
                  identification of the authorities and appropriations 
                  being used to support training efforts;
                      (B) a description of the strategy and 
                  implementation efforts to ensure accountability for 
                  crimes committed during the Syrian conflict, including 
                  efforts to promote the establishment of an ad hoc 
                  tribunal to prosecute the perpetrators of war crimes 
                  committed during the civil war in Syria; and
                      (C) an assessment of the impact of those 
                  initiatives.
      (c) Appropriate Congressional Committee Defined.--In this section, 
  the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
              (1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
              (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
          Representatives.
target: Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2014 - States that Congress: (1) condemns the ongoing violence, use of chemical weapons, targeting of civilian populations, and systematic gross human rights violations carried out by government of Syria and pro-government forces under the direction of President Bashar al-Assad, as well as abuses committed by extremist groups and other combatants involved in the civil war in Syria; (2) supports the people of Syria seeking democratic change; (3) urges all parties to the conflict to halt attacks on civilians; (4) calls on the President to support efforts in Syria and on the part of the international community to ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict; and (5) calls for a United Nations (U.N.) Security Council investigation into gross violations of human rights and war crimes committed during the Syrian conflict. Direct the Secretary of State to report to Congress regarding war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria.
feat_title: Syrian War Crimes Accountability Act of 2014