US House votes to repeal Caesar Act on Syria
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- House approves repeal of the Caesar Act included in the 2026 defense bill.
- Economic restrictions on Syria lifted, opening doors for foreign investment.
- Policy change could lead to formal US-Syria relations and reconstruction efforts.
The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday night to repeal the Caesar Act sanctions on Syria.
The proposal was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.
The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, enacted in 2019, targeted members of former President Bashar Al Assad’s regime accused of war crimes and human rights violations. The House passed the repeal with a bipartisan vote of 312 to 112. The legislation now moves to the Senate and, if approved, will head to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature.
The repeal mandates that the US government review Syria’s progress every 180 days over four years. Areas under scrutiny include combating Daesh, removing foreign fighters from government roles, and protecting religious and ethnic minorities. Sanctions can be reimposed on individuals if Damascus fails to meet these objectives.
Relations between Washington and Damascus have warmed after the Assad regime was toppled last December by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, ending decades of authoritarian rule. President Trump announced in May during a Gulf visit that Washington would lift Assad-era sanctions. In August, the US Treasury removed Syria from its sanctions list, and Congress introduced legislation in June to formally repeal the Caesar Act.
During Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s visit to Washington last month, the Treasury Department and Department of Commerce confirmed a 180-day waiver on Caesar Act sanctions, with exceptions for transactions involving Russia and Iran.
The sprawling defense bill, which exceeds 3,000 pages, also conditions aid to the Lebanese military on progress toward disarming Hezbollah, continues US security guarantees for 'Israel', and includes measures to counter Iranian influence in the region.
