Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act of 2023

Assad Regime Anti-Normalization Act of 2023

This bill prohibits federal officials or employees from taking any action to recognize a Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad. The bill also expands existing sanctions related to the Syrian conflict to cover additional activities and persons (individuals and entities).

Current law requires the President to impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on foreign persons engaged in certain activities related to the conflict in Syria. For example, such sanctions must be imposed on those that knowingly (1) are responsible for serious human rights abuses against the Syrian people, or (2) provide aircraft or spare aircraft parts for military purposes on behalf of the Syrian government to a foreign person operating in certain areas of Syria.

This bill expands the types of activities that would subject a foreign person to sanctions, including knowingly (1) providing any type of aircraft or spare aircraft parts to the Syrian government, (2) diverting humanitarian assistance intended for the Syrian people, or (3) confiscating property in Syria or owned by a Syrian citizen for personal gain or political purposes.

The bill also extends these sanctions to entities owned or controlled by a sanctioned person and to a sanctioned person's adult family members. Additionally, the bill removes an exception to the sanctions related to the importation of goods.

The Department of State must provide Congress with a strategy to counter foreign government efforts to normalize relations with the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov