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Congress votes to box Trump in on Syria sanctions

The House easily passed tough new sanctions amid concerns President-elect Donald Trump will cozy up to Syrian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
A security guard stands on the step to the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., November 7, 2016.      REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RTX2SCP1

The US House on Nov. 15 easily passed tough new Syria sanctions that would box in both President Barack Obama and his successor, Donald Trump.

The voice vote comes despite discreet pressure from the Obama administration to make it easier for the president to waive the sanctions. A Democratic congressional aide told Al-Monitor that bill writers declined to do so, in part because of concerns that Trump might use that authority to avoid enforcing the law.

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