Congress forgoes Iran war restrictions to save anti-Assad bill

In order to assure passage of a long-stalled Syria sanctions bill, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted down legislation restricting President Donald Trump’s ability to attack Iran.
ATTENTION EDITORS - VISUAL COVERAGE OF SCENES OF INJURY OR DEATH The man credited with smuggling 50,000 photos said to document Syrian government atrocities, a Syrian Army defector known by the protective alias Caesar (disguised in a hooded blue jacket), listens to his interpreter as he prepares to speak at a briefing to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington July 31, 2014. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY CONFLICT) TEMPLATE OUT - GM1EA7V1SKN01
The man credited with smuggling 50,000 photos said to document Syrian government atrocities, a Syrian army defector known by the protective alias Caesar (disguised in a hooded blue jacket), listens to his interpreter as he prepares to speak at a briefing to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 31, 2014. - REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
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Bryant Harris
@brykharris_ALM

The Senate has struggled to pass a long-stalled Syria sanctions bill since 2016, even as the House has unanimously passed the largely noncontroversial legislation several times.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee finally advanced the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act by a 20-2 vote today. But first, lawmakers had to vote down an amendment barring the Donald Trump administration from attacking Iran.

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