Engel, McCaul, and Colleagues Urge Secretary Pompeo to Maintain Pressure on Assad Regime

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ELIOT L. ENGEL, NEW YORK

CHAIRMAN

JASON STEINBAUM

STAFF DIRECTOR

The Honorable Mike Pompeo

Secretary

U.S. Department of State

2201 C Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20520

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee on Foreign Affairs

2170 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

www.foreignaffairs.house.gov

October 26, 2020

MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, TEXAS

RANKING REPUBLICAN MEMBER

BRENDAN P. SHIELDS

REPUBLICAN STAFF DIRECTOR

Dear Secretary Pompeo:

As strong supporters of the Syrian people, we write to you with deep concern that various

countries have taken steps to renew formal diplomatic ties with Bashar Al-Assad despite his

ongoing and unrepentant brutality.

The House of Representatives condemned Assad for crimes against humanity and

chronicled his regime's violence in H.Res. 1165, which the House passed on December 11, 2018,

and in H.Con.Res. 121, which the House passed on March 14, 2016. Congress has also used

legislation to outline the behavioral criteria that the Syrian regime must meet to rejoin the

international community. The regime must: cease the bombing of civilian areas and

infrastructure; release political prisoners and allow for the safe and voluntary return of refugees

and displaced persons; cease its support for terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and

Palestinian Islamic Jihad; cease research, development, and acquisition of nuclear, chemical, and

biological weapons and ballistic missile technology; and allow full, unfettered access to the

United Nations and other international observers to verify such activities have indeed

ceased. None of these criteria have been met.

The regime and its allies, Russia and Iran, are guilty of barbaric violence against the

Syrian people. International organizations and human rights groups have documented the use of

chemical weapons against civilians, indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure, deliberate

use of siege tactics, and mass torture. For example, a June 2019 report by the Organization for

the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons Investigation and Identification Team found that the