ICYMI: Shaheen Secures Repeal of Caesar Act Sanctions on Syria in Annual Defense Bill

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, secured a provision to repeal Caesar sanctions on Syria in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which now heads to the President’s desk for his signature.

These sanctions were imposed on Syria during the Assad dictatorship, but since the fall of that regime, have been an impediment to economic development and investment in Syria that would promote the country’s stability.

“Today’s repeal of the Caesar Act is a decisive step toward giving the Syrian people a real chance to rebuild after decades of unimaginable suffering,” said Ranking Member Shaheen.

“I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, especially Representative Joe Wilson, for their tireless, bipartisan leadership and to Ambassador Tom Barrack for his relentless diplomacy and commitment to promoting the security of the region. This step will advance America’s national security by promoting stability in an unsettled region, helping to deny ISIS a safe haven and preventing Iran from exercising its dangerous influence.”

Ranking Member Shaheen authored the repeal of Caesar sanctions to give Syria a fighting chance on its road to recovery from the Assad regime.

Today is a historic milestone for U.S.-Syria relations that will help put Syria on a path to growth, stability, and prosperity. The sanctions repeal will also assist Syria in countering malign influence from Iran and Russia.

This repeal comes after months of diplomatic efforts and bipartisan coordination to lift these sanctions. In August, Ranking Member Shaheen led a Congressional Delegation including Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC) to Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

The Senator also met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa during her visit to New York for this year’s United Nations High Level Week and during his visit to Washington, D.C. Finally, just this week, Ranking Member Shaheen and Representative Wilson authored an op-ed in Foreign Policy advocating for the repeal of these sanctions.

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Ray Hanania

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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