Mohammad Alaa Ghanem, a member of the Syrian American Council, announced that efforts had succeeded in passing a provision stipulating the repeal of the “Caesar Act” within the U.S. Senate’s version of the Defense Department budget bill.
In a post on the X platform, Ghanem explained that the U.S. Senate approved its version of the budget with 77 votes in favor and 22 against, noting that the included provision calls for the unconditional repeal of the “Caesar Act” by the end of this year.
He added that this decision represents “a dramatic victory in every sense of the word.”
What’s next?
Ghanem clarified that the approved version also includes another provision addressing a set of measures the Syrian government is expected to implement, noting that the wording was amended so that these measures are now “non-binding objectives” rather than mandatory conditions that would automatically reinstate sanctions if not met.
He pointed out that the new text includes a non-binding clause stating that Congress will discuss the possible reimposition of sanctions if the Syrian government fails to make progress on these objectives for 12 consecutive months.
Ghanem emphasized that this amendment thwarted attempts to keep the Caesar Act as a sword hanging over the heads of investors seeking to enter Syria and revive its economy.
He concluded by noting that the version passed by the Senate will now move to negotiations with the U.S. House of Representatives to reach a final version of the budget, which the president is expected to sign before the end of the year, confirming that work is ongoing “to ensure these provisions reach the finish line.”
For its part, the organization “Citizens for a Safe America” said: “We, along with the Syrian American community, will continue to monitor and advocate for the lifting of the Caesar Act and other sanctions on Syria and the Syrian people, in line with President Trump’s policy.”
As a next step, the organization explained, the conference committee must reconcile the final version of the defense budget bill for the coming year before presenting it to the president for signature by year’s end.
Previously, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Shibani expressed optimism about the lifting of U.S. sanctions imposed on Syria under the “Caesar Act.”
Similarly, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack voiced optimism that Congress would issue a decision leading to the complete repeal of the “Caesar Act,” stressing the importance of following President Trump’s recommendations on lifting sanctions against Syria.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
