There is much confusion regarding the status of Caesar sanctions. The new development is certainly positive, but it is incorrect to proclaim that the Caesar sanctions have been repealed at this stage.
The repeal of the Caesar Act was added into the Senate version of the NDAA (Defense Spending Bill). The Senate and House each introduce their own versions of the bill that they vote on, and then a committee meets to reconcile them. The Senate voted 77 to 20 to add the repeal of the Caesar Act into their version of the NDAA.
So, while the Caesar Act has not been repealed yet, its inclusion into the Senate version makes passing the repeal of the Caesar Act much easier, as it means it wouldn’t have to be added in later, through a roundabout way in committee. So, the prospects of the Caesar Act being repealed in December when the NDAA passes are now much higher.
The sense is that the House will fall in line/follow suit, and not challenge the inclusion of the repeal language in the NDAA
So, while it’s too premature to say that the Caesar Act has been repealed, this is a significant political victory, and the path towards repeal is pretty set. Importantly, besides the repeal of the Caesar Act, the amendment also includes a provision that calls on the Administration to look into reopening the US Embassy in Damascus.
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There is much confusion regarding the status of Caesar sanctions. The new development is certainly positive, but it is incorrect to proclaim that the Caesar sanctions have been repealed at this stage.
The repeal of the Caesar Act was added into the Senate version of the NDAA (Defense Spending Bill). The Senate and House each introduce their own versions of the bill that they vote on, and then a committee meets to reconcile them. The Senate voted 77 to 20 to add the repeal of the Caesar Act into their version of the NDAA.
So, while the Caesar Act has not been repealed yet, its inclusion into the Senate version makes passing the repeal of the Caesar Act much easier, as it means it wouldn’t have to be added in later, through a roundabout way in committee. So, the prospects of the Caesar Act being repealed in December when the NDAA passes are now much higher.
The sense is that the House will fall in line/follow suit, and not challenge the inclusion of the repeal language in the NDAA
So, while it’s too premature to say that the Caesar Act has been repealed, this is a significant political victory, and the path towards repeal is pretty set. Importantly, besides the repeal of the Caesar Act, the amendment also includes a provision that calls on the Administration to look into reopening the US Embassy in Damascus.