Eliot Engel: “I want to make it clear to the Assad regime today that the U.S. Congress will never legitimize you.”

I particularly want to thank Chairman Engel for his leadership, as well as the whole committee, for making the Caesar Act a reality.

This legislation, passed into law last December, mandates the most sweeping sanctions on Assad's enablers.

I know Mr. Meeks very well and I know that he will do an excellent job--an excellent job--as chairman.

I introduced the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act several years ago as a response to what we saw in this room.