COMMEMORATING THE 11-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA; Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 54

COMMEMORATING THE 11-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA

HON. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of pennsylvania in the house of representatives

Monday, March 28, 2022

Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, last week marked the 11-year anniversary of the beginning of the conflict in Syria. Now over a decade old, the crisis in Syria grinds on. Despite claims to the contrary, Bashar al-Assad has not won or extinguished the revolution. But he continues to weaponize and steal UN humanitarian assistance, something the United States must work to stop. Thousands remain in detention, including American citizens Majd Kamalmaj and Austin Tice, subject to brutal torture. The Caesar photos provided heart wrenching and damning proof of Bashar's crimes in regime jails. And more, Assad is flooding his country and the surrounding region with the lethal drug, Captagon, turning Syria into a narco-state. It is why I introduced legislation with my colleague to require the U.S. to prepare an inter-agency strategy to combat Captagon.

Congress cannot remain silent on the atrocities of the Assad regime. To that end, we must remain dedicated to preventing the rehabilitation of the regime. Bashar al-Assad and his henchmen must be held accountable for the genocide they are carrying out on the Syrian people. It is why I am proud to serve as the co-chair and co-found of the Friends of a Free, Stable, and Democratic Syria Caucus. I was honored to work with my colleagues on the caucus in passing the Caesar Act, strong bipartisan legislation that punishes Bashar al-Assad for his crimes against humanity.

The humanitarian dimensions of the conflict in Syria also extend to areas outside Assad's control. Millions struggle in the Northwest under harsh conditions, particularly the internally displaced who lack proper shelter living in tents with limited access to basic essentials. The U.S. cannot allow Russia to block reauthorization of the remaining cross-border point at Bab al-Hawa. The implications of denying much needed aid could produce the worst humanitarian disaster of the entire conflict.

We must also push back against the resurgence of ISIS in eastern Syria. I applaud the Biden Administration for the resumption of funding stabilization projects to gradually rebuild ISIS-liberated areas. Stabilization efforts must be robust and sustained to achieve a positive outcome. Syria is a nation with many challenges but one that the United States and the world cannot ignore or look away from. I salute the efforts of the Syrian-American community's advocacy to address these challenges in calling for a free Syria and look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to achieve that goal.