Further Syria sanctions introduced

Republican lawmakers introduced legislation further sanctioning Syria. The Syria Accountability and Liberation Act introduced Tuesday by Republican lawmakers including Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, the ranking Republican on the U.S. House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, would codify current sanctions and add new ones on those who invest $5 million or more in the Syrian energy
sector. It also would affect individuals and countries who contribute to Syria’s weapons
programs.The act would establish a program to support the activities of pro-democracy advocates and human rights dissidents in Syria.”Syria’s state-sponsorship of Islamist terrorist organizations, including those conducting attacks in Iraq, its development of unconventional weapons capabilities and brutal oppression of the Syrian people must be immediately addressed before it escalates to the level of threat posed by Iran today,” Ros-Lehtinen said.