The U.S. Congress has approved the lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria under the 'Caesar' Act, which were put in place to punish the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. Congress approved the lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria under the 'Caesar' Act, which were put in place to punish the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad, while also calling for a periodic review of the Syrian government's performance. The decision came after Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Bill on Sunday evening, which includes a provision to lift sanctions imposed on Syria under the 'Caesar Act.' Below is the provision for lifting the 'Caesar Act' in the National Defense Authorization Bill: Within 90 days of the enactment of this law, and every 180 days thereafter for the next four years, the President or their designee shall submit to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, and the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Foreign Relations, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, a classified report (with a classified annex if necessary), attesting to whether the Syrian government is taking concrete and tangible steps to: Eliminate the threat posed by 'ISIS' and other terrorist groups, including 'Al-Qaeda' and its affiliates, in partnership with the United States, and to prevent the resurgence of 'ISIS'. Remove, or take steps to remove, foreign fighters from senior positions in the Syrian government, including state institutions and security forces. Respect the religious and ethnic minority rights in Syria, including respect for freedom of worship and belief, and provide fair and balanced representation in the government, including in the ministries and parliament. Refrain from unilateral and unjustified military action against its neighbors, including Israel, and continue to make progress toward international security agreements, as necessary. Take concrete and credible steps to implement the March 10, 2025 agreement as negotiated between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including measures for the proportional integration of security forces and political representation. Take effective steps to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in accordance with international standards, and to not knowingly finance or assist (financially or through the transfer of arms). The full lifting of U.S. sanctions was among the primary objectives of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to Washington last month, when he met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Following a closed-door meeting with Trump, the U.S. Treasury Department announced on November 10th the extension of a waiver on sanctions under the Caesar Act for 180 days, however, the full lifting of these sanctions is contingent upon Congressional approval.
