National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017

Floor Speech

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Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman and ranking member for their support.

My amendment would condemn the continuing attacks against and the intentional targeting of medical facilities and medical providers in Syria. I want to remind my colleagues that these facilities are entitled to protection under international law. Yet, we continue to hear about airstrikes in Syria targeting these hospitals and medical facilities. Just pick up the newspaper. In 1 week, six facilities in Aleppo were targeted.

Intentional attacks against hospitals, surgeons, nurses, and other healthcare workers is not a norm that we should accept.

Neither is the Syrian Government's blocking of humanitarian aid, including medical aid. Just last week, a U.N.-Red Cross aid convoy, including medical aid to a besieged Syrian city, was blocked by the Syrian Government. A former top U.N. humanitarian official tweeted his disgust that the aid had been blocked ``because it carried baby milk.''

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Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, I commend the courageous healthcare providers and nonprofit groups that are working in the midst of these attacks to provide health care to the millions under siege in Syria. Too many have died and too many more will die if we continue to be sorry.

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