"The United States and our allies have stood together in opposing Bashar al-Assad's barbaric regime for more than a decade now,"
"If countries in the region are ready to look past the numerous documented criminal acts that were committed in Syria, then the United States must set the example and use its diplomatic strength to counter these misguided steps. Assad and his backers in Russia and Iran have not shown any reason that would justify normalizing relations with a government that is responsible for over 600,000 men, women, and children being murdered. This legislation is a great next step of making the position of Congress clear."