U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack called on Congress on Oct. 20 to repeal the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, saying the 2019 law “served its moral purpose against the previous, treacherous [Bashar] Assad regime but now suffocates a nation seeking to rebuild.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved several bills by voice vote Oct. 22 that could lead to additional sanctions on China and Russia.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., introduced a bill Oct. 21 that would impose property-blocking sanctions on Nigerian officials who permit or promote the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. His legislation, which was referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees, is a companion to a Senate bill that Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced in September (see 2509120001).
To counter Hezbollah’s drug trafficking and other extensive illegal money-raising efforts in Latin America, the U.S. should encourage more countries in the region to designate the Lebanon-based group a terrorist organization, a former State Department official told lawmakers Oct. 21.
The Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill Oct. 21 that would direct the Commerce Department to lead a review of challenges posed by Chinese foreign investment in the U.S. (see 2508010044).
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the top Democrat on a Russian secondary sanctions bill, said he's not discouraged that Senate Majority Leader John Thune is putting off a vote on the bill again. The bill has 85 sponsors in the Senate, and would give the president the ability to put up to 500% tariffs on the goods of countries that buy Russian fossil fuels; it also would expand sanctions on Russian officials.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., urged the Treasury Department Oct. 15 to use the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review reports that China-based investors are buying Southern California land ravaged by January wildfires.
A bipartisan group of 27 House members, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul, R-Texas, called on President Donald Trump Oct. 17 to impose “forceful new joint sanctions” on Russia and countries that buy its oil, to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said Oct. 16 that he welcomes Senate passage of a bill last week to restrict U.S. outbound investment in China.
Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Rick Crawford, R-Ark., reintroduced a bill Oct. 14 that would prohibit China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from buying or controlling agricultural land and businesses in the U.S. The Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act was referred to the House Financial Services, Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce committees. The lawmakers previously introduced the measure in the last Congress.