[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 54 (Monday, March 28, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E305-E306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     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

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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.

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