Save the Kurds Act

The terms admission, admitted, alien, and lawfully admitted for permanent residence have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101).

The term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

The term foreign person means a person that is not a United States person.

The term knowingly, with respect to conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person has actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the circumstance, or the result.

The term state sponsor of terrorism means a country the government of which the Secretary of State has determined has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism for purposes of—

(A) section 1754(c)(1)(A)(i) of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4813(c)(1)(A)(i));

(B) section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371);

(C) section 40(d) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780(d)); or

(D) any other provision of law.

The term United States person means—

(A) any United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States;

(B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States (including any foreign branch of such an entity); or

(C) any person in the United States.

(1) the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces made significant contributions to the elimination of the ISIS caliphate;

(2) the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, with assistance from the United States-led coalition, have detained thousands of ISIS fighters and their families, ensuring the safety of the United States and the region;

(3) the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces continue to be a reliable and critical partner in preventing the resurgence of ISIS; and

(4) any behavior by the Government of Syria or regional actors that undermines the role of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in countering ISIS and protecting United States security interests is inconsistent with the national security objectives of the United States.

Upon the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall designate al-Nusrah Front, also known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189).

Subject to subsection (b), the President may terminate the designation of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism if the President submits to Congress a report explaining why the termination is in the national security interests of the United States.

During the period of 90 calendar days beginning on the date on which the President submits a report under subsection (a) with respect to termination of the designation of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, the termination shall not take effect. If, after the end of that period, a joint resolution of disapproval with respect to the termination of the designation has not been enacted into law under subsection (c), the termination may take effect.

During the period described in paragraph (1), the appropriate congressional committees should, as appropriate, hold hearings and briefings and otherwise obtain information in order to fully review the report.

The period for congressional review under paragraph (1) of a report required to be submitted under subsection (a) shall be 120 calendar days if the report is submitted on or after July 10 and on or before September 7 in any calendar year.

In this subsection, the term joint resolution of disapproval means only a joint resolution of either House of Congress the sole matter after the resolving clause of which is as follows: That Congress disapproves of the termination, under section 201 of the Save the Kurds Act, of the designation of Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, with respect to which the President submitted a report on ___., with the blank space being filled with the appropriate date.

During the period of 90 calendar days provided for under subsection (b)(1), including any additional period as applicable under the exception provided in subsection (b)(3), a joint resolution of disapproval may be introduced—

(A) in the House of Representatives, by the majority leader or the minority leader; and

(B) in the Senate, by the majority leader (or a designee of the majority leader) or the minority leader (or a designee of the minority leader).

Any committee of the House of Representatives to which a joint resolution of disapproval is referred shall report it to the House of Representatives without amendment not later than 10 calendar days after the date of referral. If a committee fails to report the joint resolution within that period, the committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution and the joint resolution shall be referred to the appropriate calendar.

After each committee authorized to consider a joint resolution of disapproval reports it to the House of Representatives or has been discharged from its consideration, it shall be in order to move to proceed to consider the joint resolution of disapproval in the House of Representatives. All points of order against the motion are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without intervening motion. The motion shall not be debatable. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in order.

The joint resolution of disapproval shall be considered as read. All points of order against the joint resolution of disapproval and against its consideration are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint resolution of disapproval to its passage without intervening motion except 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the joint resolution of disapproval shall not be in order.

If the committee of the Senate to which a joint resolution of disapproval has been referred has not reported the joint resolution within 10 calendar days after the date of referral of the joint resolution, that committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution and the joint resolution shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.

Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time after the committee of the Senate to which a joint resolution of disapproval has been referred reports the joint resolution to the Senate or has been discharged from consideration of such a joint resolution to move to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution, and all points of order against the joint resolution (and against consideration of the joint resolution) are waived. The motion to proceed is not debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in order. Approval by the Senate of a motion to proceed to a joint resolution of disapproval shall require the affirmative vote of three-fifths of Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn.

Consideration in the Senate of a joint resolution of disapproval and of all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith shall not exceed a total of 10 hours, which shall be divided equally between the majority and minority leaders or their designees. Any debatable motion or appeal is debatable for not to exceed 1 hour, to be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the motion or appeal.

An amendment to a joint resolution of disapproval, a motion to postpone, a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit the joint resolution is not in order.

If the Senate has voted to proceed to a joint resolution of disapproval, the vote on approval of the joint resolution shall occur immediately following the conclusion of consideration of the joint resolution, and a single quorum call if requested. Approval by the Senate of a joint resolution of disapproval shall require the affirmative vote of three-fifths of Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn.

Consideration in the Senate of any veto message with respect to a joint resolution of disapproval, including all debatable motions and appeals in connection with the joint resolution, shall be limited to 10 hours, to be equally divided between, and controlled by, the majority leader and the minority leader or their designees.

If, before the passage by one House of a joint resolution of disapproval of that House, that House receives from the other House a joint resolution of disapproval, then the following procedures shall apply:

(i) The joint resolution of the other House shall not be referred to a committee.

(ii) With respect to a joint resolution of the House receiving the resolution—

(I) the procedure in that House shall be the same as if no joint resolution had been received from the other House; but

(II) the vote on passage shall be on the joint resolution of the other House.

If one House fails to introduce or consider a joint resolution of disapproval under this section, the joint resolution of the other House shall be entitled to expedited floor procedures under this section.

If, following passage of a joint resolution of disapproval in the Senate, the Senate then receives a joint resolution of disapproval from the House of Representatives, the joint resolution from the House shall not be debatable.

This subsection is enacted by Congress—

(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively, and as such is deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, and supersedes other rules only to the extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and

(B) with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that House.

On and after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall impose sanctions in subsection (c) with respect to the following:

(1) The following officials of the Government of Syria:

(A) The President of Syria.

(B) The Minister of Defense.

(C) The Minister of Economy and Industry.

(D) The Minister of Agriculture.

(E) The Minister of Administrative Development.

(F) The Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

(G) The Minister of Culture.

(H) The Minister of Education.

(I) The Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management.

(J) The Minister of Energy.

(K) The Minister of Finance.

(L) The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

(M) The Minister of Health.

(N) The Minister of Higher Education and Research.

(O) The Minister of Information.

(P) The Minister of Interior.

(Q) The Minister of Justice.

(R) The Minister of Local Administration and Environment.

(S) The Minister of Public Works and Housing.

(T) The Minister of Religious Endowments.

(U) The Minister of Social Affairs and Labour.

(V) The Minister of Tourism.

(W) The Minister of Transport.

(X) The Minister of Youth and Sports.

(Y) The Chief of the General Staff of the Army and Armed Forces.

(Z) The Governor the Central Bank of Syria.

(AA) The Board of the Syrian Sovereign Fund.

(BB) The Director General of the Syrian Development Fund.

(CC) The Director General of the Syrian Investment Authority.

(DD) The Head of the Syrian Central Financial Control Body.

(EE) The Head of the Syrian Petroleum Company.

(FF) The Head of the General Authority for Borders and Customs.

(GG) Any other senior official of the Government of Syria, as determined by the President.

(2) Any foreign person that is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of Syria—

(A) transnational crime, corruption, bribery, extortion, or money laundering;

(B) assassination, murder, or other unlawful killing of, or infliction of other bodily harm or other crimes against humanity against, a United States person or a citizen or national of an ally or partner of the United States;

(C) activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States or an ally or partner of the United States; or

(D) deceptive or structured transactions or dealings that circumvent the application of any sanctions imposed by the United States, including through the use of digital currencies or assets or the use of physical assets.

(3) Any foreign person the President determines knowingly, on or after the date of the enactment of this Act—

(A) provides financial, material, or technological support to, or engages in a transaction with—

(i) the Government of Syria (including any entity owned or controlled by the Government of Syria) or a senior political figure of the Government of Syria;

(ii) the Armed Forces of Syria or a foreign person that is a military contractor, mercenary, or a paramilitary force knowingly operating in a military capacity inside Syria, or any other armed entity or foreign person operating, for or on behalf of the Government of Syria; or

(iii) a foreign person subject to sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) with respect to Syria or any other provision of law that imposes sanctions with respect to Syria;

(B) sells or provides goods, services, technology, information, or other support that facilitates the maintenance or expansion of the Government of Syria’s domestic production of any energy product, including natural gas, petroleum, and petroleum products;

(C) sells or provides aircraft or spare aircraft parts that are used for military purposes in Syria for or on behalf of the Government of Syria to any foreign person operating in an area directly or indirectly controlled by the Government of Syria or foreign forces associated with the Government of Syria;

(D) provides goods or services associated with the operation of aircraft that are used for military purposes in Syria for or on behalf of the Government of Syria to any foreign person operating in an area described in subparagraph (C);

(E) directly or indirectly, provides construction or engineering services to the Government of Syria;

(F) is involved in committing serious abuses of internationally recognized human rights against citizens of Syria, including forcible transfers, enforced disappearances, unjust detainment, forced deportation of children, or torture; or

(G) is a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of, or principal shareholder with a controlling or majority interest in, an entity that is operating in the defense industrial base or energy or transportation sectors of the economy of Syria in support of the Armed Forces of Syria.

It is the sense of Congress that, in implementing this section, the President should consider financial support under subsection (a)(3)(A) to include the provision of loans, credits, or export credits.

The sanctions to be imposed with respect to a foreign person described in subsection (a) are the following:

The President shall exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the foreign person if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.

An alien described in subsection (a) is—

(I) inadmissible to the United States;

(II) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and

(III) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

An alien described in subsection is subject to revocation of any visa or other entry documentation regardless of when the visa or other entry documentation is or was issued.

A revocation under subclause (I) shall—

(aa) take effect immediately; and

(bb) automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the alien’s possession.

Upon the enactment of this Act, the President shall—

(A) impose all of the sanctions described in subsection (d) with respect to—

(i) the Central Bank of Syria;

(ii) any financial institution organized under the laws of Syria and owned in whole or in part by the Government of Syria;

(iii) any subsidiary of, or successor entity to, the Central Bank of Syria or any financial institution described in clause (ii); and

(iv) except as provided by subsection (c), any foreign financial institution that engages in transactions with the Central Bank of Syria or any financial institution described in clause (ii) or (iii); and

(B) impose the sanctions described in subsection (e) with respect to any leaders, officials, senior executive officers, or members of the board of directors of, or any principal shareholders with a controlling or majority interest in, the Central Bank of Syria or any financial institution described in clause (ii), (iii), or (iv).

Not later than 210 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the President shall—

(A) review any persons that may be described in paragraph (1); and

(B) if sanctions have not been imposed under this subsection with respect to any person the President determines is described in paragraph (1), impose such sanctions with respect to that person.

Effective on the date that is 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall prohibit any United States person from engaging in any transaction with the Central Bank of Syria or any financial institution described in clause (ii), (iii), or (iv) of subsection (a)(1)(A).

The President is not required to impose sanctions under subsection (a)(1)(A) with respect to a foreign financial institution described in clause (iv) of that subsection if the Secretary of the Treasury determines that imposing such sanctions is not consistent with the economic or foreign policy interests of the United States.

The sanctions described in this subsection to be imposed with respect to a financial institution described in subsection (a) are the following:

The President shall exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the financial institution if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.

The President shall prohibit the opening, and prohibit or impose strict conditions on the maintaining, in the United States, of a correspondent account or payable-through account by the financial institution.

The sanctions described in this subsection to be imposed with respect to an individual described in subsection (a) are the following:

The President shall exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the individual if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.

An alien described in subsection (a) shall be—

(i) inadmissible to the United States;

(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and

(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into the United States or to receive any other benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).

The visa or other entry documentation of an alien described in subsection (a) shall be revoked, regardless of when such visa or other entry documentation is or was issued.

A revocation under clause (i) shall—

(I) take effect immediately; and

(II) automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry documentation that is in the possession of the alien.

On and after the date of the enactment of this Act—

(1) sanctions and other measures provided for under each Executive order specified in subsection (b) shall apply; and

(2) sanctions and other measures imposed with respect to a person under any such Executive order on June 30, 2025, shall be reinstated.

The Executive orders specified in this subsection are the following, as in effect on June 30, 2025:

(1) Executive Order 13338 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of certain persons and prohibiting the export of certain goods to Syria).

(2) Executive Order 13399 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of additional persons in connection with the national emergency with respect to Syria).

(3) Executive Order 13460 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of additional persons in connection with the national emergency with respect to Syria).

(4) Executive Order 13582 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property of the Government of Syria and prohibiting certain transactions with respect to Syria).

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the President shall—

(1) review any entity—

(A) in which the Government of Syria may have a controlling or majority ownership interest; or

(B) that may otherwise be affiliated with the Government of Syria; and

(2) impose the sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to an entity if the President determines that—

(A) the Government of Syria has a controlling or majority ownership interest in the entity; or

(B) the entity is otherwise affiliated with the Government of Syria.

The President shall exercise all of the powers granted to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent necessary to block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of an entity described in subsection (a) if such property and interests in property are in the United States, come within the United States, or are or come within the possession or control of a United States person.

Except as provided by subsection (b), on and after the date of the enactment of this Act, a depository institution (as defined in section 19(b)(1)(A) of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 461(b)(1)(A))) or a broker or dealer in securities registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) may not process transfers of funds—

(1) to or from the Government of Syria, including any entity owned by the Government of Syria; or

(2) for the direct or indirect benefit of officials of the Government of Syria.

A depository institution, broker, or dealer described in subsection (a) may process a transfer described in that subsection if the transfer arises from, and is ordinarily incident and necessary to give effect to, an underlying transaction that is authorized by a specific or general license.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Securities and Exchange Commission shall prohibit the securities of an issuer described in subsection (b) from being traded on a national securities exchange.

An issuer described in this subsection is an issuer that is—

(1) an official of or individual affiliated with the Government of Syria; or

(2) an entity—

(A) in which the Government of Syria has a controlling or majority ownership interest; or

(B) that is otherwise affiliated with the Government of Syria.

In this section:

The terms issuer and security have the meanings given those terms in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)).

The term national securities exchange means an exchange registered as a national securities exchange in accordance with section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78f).

On and after the date of the enactment of this Act, the following are prohibited:

(1) New investment in Syria by a United States person, wherever located.

(2) The exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States, or by a United States person, wherever located, of any category of services identified by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to any person located in Syria.

(3) Any approval, financing, facilitation, or guarantee by a United States person, wherever located, of a transaction by a foreign person if the transaction by that foreign person would be prohibited by this section if performed by a United States person or within the United States.

The President shall impose the sanctions described in section 301(c) with respect to any foreign person that the President determines knowingly sells, supplies, transfers, markets, or otherwise provides goods, services, technology, or other support that facilitates the maintenance or expansion of the production of oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, petroleum, petroleum products, petrochemical products, coal, or coal products for use by any person subject to sanctions under section 301.

On and after the date of the enactment of this Act, the purchase of sovereign debt of the Government of Syria by any United States person (including a United States financial institution) is prohibited.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the President shall—

(1) review any person that may be described in subsection (b); and

(2) impose sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) with respect to any person the President determines is described in that subsection.

A person described in this subsection is—

(1) any entity that—

(A) operates with the intent to predominantly engage in the business of providing global financial messaging services; and

(B) is determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, as knowingly being used to circumvent any sanctions imposed under any provision of this Act; or

(2) a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of, or principal shareholder with a controlling or majority interest in, any entity described in paragraph (1).

The President may waive the imposition of sanctions under subsection (a) with respect to an entity predominantly engaged in the business of providing global financial messaging services for, directly providing such services to, or enabling or facilitating direct or indirect access to such services for, any financial institution subject to sanctions under any other provision of this Act if the entity—

(1) is subject to a sanctions regime under its governing foreign law that requires it to eliminate the knowing provision of such services to, and the knowing enabling and facilitation of direct or indirect access to such services for, foreign financial institutions identified under such governing foreign law for purposes of that sanctions regime if the President determines that the sanctions regime under governing foreign law is not inconsistent with the economic or foreign policy interests of the United States;

(2) has, pursuant to that sanctions regime, terminated the knowing provision of such services to, and the knowing enabling and facilitation of direct or indirect access to such services for, foreign financial institutions identified under such governing foreign law for purposes of that sanctions regime; and

(3) provides significant financial messaging services to United States financial institutions, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the President pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.).

This Act shall not apply with respect to any activity subject to the reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.) and any authorized intelligence activities of the United States.

Sanctions under this Act shall not apply with respect to the admission or parole of an alien into the United States if admitting or paroling the alien is necessary—

(1) to permit the United States to comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United Nations and the United States, or other applicable international obligations; or

(2) to carry out or assist law enforcement activity in the United States.

Sanctions and other measures under this Act shall not apply to—

(A) the conduct or facilitation of a transaction for the provision of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, medical devices, humanitarian assistance, or for humanitarian purposes; or

(B) transactions that are necessary for, or related to, the activities described in subparagraph (A).

In this subsection:

The term agricultural commodity has the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602).

The term medical device has the meaning given the term device in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).

The term medicine has the meaning given the term drug in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).

This Act shall not apply with respect to a United States person that is operating under the terms of a general license issued by the Department of the Treasury before the date of the enactment of this Act.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the terms of a general license described in paragraph (1), the authority of United States persons to continue to operate under such a license, or the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to extend or issue new general licenses.

The President may exercise all authorities provided to the President under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) for purposes of carrying out this Act.

The penalties provided for in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person that violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of this Act or regulations prescribed to carry out this Act to the same extent that such penalties apply to a person that commits an unlawful act described in section 206(a) of that Act.

The President shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, promulgate regulations as necessary for the implementation of this Act.

The authorities and requirements to impose sanctions under this Act shall not include the authority or a requirement to impose sanctions on the importation of goods.

In this section, the term good means any article, natural or manmade substance, material, supply or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment, and excluding technical data.

The President may suspend, in whole or in part, any provision of this Act if the President certifies to Congress in writing that the Government of Syria has ceased all attacks on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and their partners.

If, after the suspension of any provision of this Act under subsection (a), the Government of Syria, or any other entity or foreign person acting on behalf of the Government of Syria, attacks the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces or their partners, the President shall immediately resume application of the provision and continue the application of any provision not so suspended.

Except for section 403 with respect to the importation of goods, nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the authority of the President pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or any other provision of law.

Nothing in this Act may be construed as an authorization for use of military force.

This Act shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.