Orrin Hatch: “I stand in support of the Syria Accountability Act, H.R. 1828, which the House of Representatives passed, 398-4, last…”

“I stand in support of the Syria Accountability Act, H.R. 1828, which the House of Representatives passed, 398-4, last month. I am an original cosponsor of the Senate bill, S. 982, introduced by my colleagues, Senators Santorum and Boxer, which has over 80 cosponsors as of today. Today, I support the amendment to H.R. 1828 submitted by my able colleague and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Lugar, in coordination with Senators Santorum and Boxer. I commend my colleagues for their good work. It is well within Congress's prerogative to write and implement sanctions, but the practice of doing so, as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee knows so well, can raise important points about the overall constitutional prerogative of the executive in its right to conduct foreign policy. The amendment prepared by Senator Lugar, in cooperation with the original sponsors of the bill, preserves the prerogatives of both branches of government, and, at the same time, I believe, unifies and solidifies our nation's policy on the question of terrorism, and, in particular, Syria's contribution to peace, stability and progress in the Middle East. Quite frankly, Syria has largely failed to contribute significantly to peace and stability in the Middle East, a stability that U.S. blood and treasure is now invested to achieve. We have watched the administration give Syria ample opportunities, since September 11, 2001, to make its contribution.”