Congress moves to lift Syria sanctions, normalizing ties with Assad regime
S. 3172 — A bill to repeal certain Acts that impose sanctions upon Syria. · Filed by Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Nov 10, 2025 · Reported out
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What it does
This bill repeals two federal laws that impose economic and diplomatic sanctions on Syria: the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003 and the Syria Human Rights Accountability Act of 2012. If enacted, it would remove U.S. legal authority to sanction Syria for its government's conduct, human rights violations, and regional actions, effectively normalizing trade and diplomatic relations with the Assad regime.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole function is to remove statutory authority for U.S. sanctions on Syria. It is a direct repeal of two sanctions regimes with no other provisions or mechanisms. The effect is normalization of relations with the Assad government.
What the text implies
- Lifting sanctions may enable U.S. companies to resume trade with Syria, potentially benefiting energy, agriculture, and financial sectors currently barred from Syrian commerce.
- Removal of sanctions authority does not automatically lift existing executive-branch sanctions orders, but it eliminates the statutory foundation for future enforcement and signals a policy shift toward engagement.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
U.S. energy companies (oil/gas trade with Syria); U.S. agricultural exporters; Financial services firms (banking, insurance, investment)