I thank my friend, the gentleman from New York, the ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee for yielding. I thank Mr. Kinzinger for his leadership as well as his statement. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan legislation, which will impose tough sanctions on entities aiding the Assad regime in Syria. Bashar al-Assad is brutal murderer. Very frankly, there are too many countries facilitating and complicit in the murders that he perpetrates. He has gassed his own people and waged a civil war that has displaced millions from their homes and their country. Recently, Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of meeting some of the White Helmet civil defense workers who are risking their lives daily to rescue civilians caught in the crossfire and targeted by government forces; facilitated, I might say, by Mr. Putin's troops in Syria. The Assad regime is being propped up by Iran and Russia in a dangerous and destabilizing geopolitical game. There are reports that the Assad government is now cremating victims of mass murder in an attempt to hide the evidence of its numerous crimes. While this is taking place, Americans watched in disbelief; frankly, as President Trump met in the Oval Office with those who are protecting, aiding and abetting Bashar al-Assad and those committing atrocities by his command and in his name.…
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