NEWS

House Foreign Affairs Committee

U.S. House of Representatives

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Ranking Republican

CONTACT:  Sam Stratman, (202) 226-7875, May 15, 2007

                     Lee Cohen, (202) 226-1139

For IMMEDIATE Release

Ros-Lehtinen Introduces New Legislation to Tighten Sanctions Against Syrian Regime

      (WASHINGTON) – Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined by Intelligence Committee Ranking Member, Peter Hoekstra (R-MI); Republican Whip, Roy Blunt (R-MO); Republican Chief Deputy Whip, Eric Cantor (R-VA); Republican Policy Committee Chairman, Thad McCotter (R-MI), among numerous other colleagues, today introduced the Syria Accountability and Liberation Act.

“Recognizing that Syria’s policies and actions constitute an ‘unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,’ the President renewed existing sanctions on Syria last week. We must do more to isolate the regime,” said Ros-Lehtinen.

“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,” said Ros-Lehtinen.

“The legislation introduced today codifies existing U.S. sanctions against the Syrian government, seeks implementation of additional U.S. sanctions, and imposes new sanctions on those investing $5 million or more in the Syrian energy sector,” concluded Ros-Lehtinen.

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      In addition, the Syria Accountability and Liberation Act:

· Targets Syria’s weapons programs by imposing new sanctions against persons and countries who transfer or retransfer goods and technology that can aid Syria’s efforts to obtain chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons, and the means to deliver them;

· Enhances U.S. efforts in multilateral forums to address the Syrian regime’s threatening policies; and

· Establishes a program to support pro-democracy advocates and human rights dissidents in Syria toward transition to a government that does not pose a threat to the U.S., our interests, and our allies.

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