House Passes Bill to Expand Sanctions on Syrian Regime

The House of Representatives voted 389-32 on Feb. 14 to pass a bill that would expand sanctions on Syria's Bashar Assad regime.

The proposed Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act, which Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and seven others introduced in May, would hold the Assad regime “accountable for its support of terrorism and mass murder of the Syrian people,” Wilson's office said in a Feb. 15 news release.

The bill would sanction members of Syria’s People’s Assembly and senior officials of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party and would clarify the applicability of sanctions to Syrian regime airlines and energy-related transactions (see 2305120008). It also would expand Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act sanctions to those involved in diverting humanitarian aid meant for the Syrian people.

Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a similar bill in September.