US Representative Joe Wilson announced that an agreement had been reached with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to move forward with efforts to cancel sanctions linked to Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Wilson said, in a video posted by Mohammed Alaa Ghanem, head of political affairs at the Syrian American Council, on X on Monday, June 22, that the file would be raised for discussion in the House of Representatives.

The file is expected to be completed through the introduction of the necessary legislation, before moving to the Senate for final approval and then being submitted to the president to be adopted as an enforceable law, according to Wilson.

Wilson said these efforts reflect confidence in the future of the Syrian people and their aspirations.

The representative also said the US side looks forward to Syrians enjoying better conditions and broader freedoms, similar to other countries in the Middle East.

More Support for Syrians

US Representative Joe Wilson said the Syrian people had been a major source of inspiration, noting that ongoing work under the National Defense Authorization Act includes multiple initiatives aimed at supporting Syrians and strengthening opportunities for stability, peace, and prosperity in Syria.

Wilson added that the bill would be presented to Congress this week, after it had been under review by the relevant committees.

He also noted that he had introduced an amendment aimed at lifting and canceling all sanctions imposed on the Syrian people.

The representative expressed confidence that the amendment would receive support from both Republicans and Democrats, amid what he described as broad consensus inside the United States around supporting Syrians’ aspirations.

Wilson said the ultimate goal of these efforts is to see Syria as a sovereign, secure, peaceful, and prosperous state.

Terrorism Designation Hinders Investment in Syria

LAWFARE issued a report addressing the legal and political debate surrounding Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, in light of recent changes in Syria’s reality and their impact on the chances of US investment entering Syria.

The US State Department issued, on May 22, a package of investor guides aimed at encouraging US companies to explore investment opportunities in Syria.

The department said the guides reflect Washington’s belief that Syria could become a reliable destination for responsible investment and entrepreneurship, with promising opportunities in several sectors, including electricity, oil and gas, technology, telecommunications, real estate, and banking services.

By contrast, however, the US legal framework toward Syria remains inconsistent with this direction, according to the report prepared by researchers John Balouziyeh and Charles Lister, as current laws still effectively prevent direct investment in Syria, mainly because of a legal designation that no longer has justification.

The report noted that the US administration has all the legal tools needed to move on this file, as US law provides two main paths to remove a country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism:

1. The first path requires the president to certify that the country concerned has not supported terrorism for at least six months and that it has provided assurances it will not return to doing so in the future. The new Syrian government has been in place for 18 months, and all public evidence indicates that Syria has become a state actively fighting terrorism instead of sponsoring it, according to the report.
2. The second path is more direct, as it allows the president to issue a certification stating that there has been a fundamental change in leadership and policies, that the current government does not support terrorism, and that it has provided written commitments not to return to doing so.