ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The US House of Representatives late Wednesday voted by a majority to repeal the Caesar Act sanctions on Syria as part of a broader defense bill, with a temporary suspension of the sanctions currently in place. 

The House voted 312 to 112 in favor of repealing the sanctions, which are part of a sweeping defense bill named the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2026. 

Syria’s state SANA news agency lauded the “intensive diplomatic efforts by the Syrian government, supported by the Syrian community and active Syrian-American organizations in Washington, in addition to the support of sisterly and friendly countries to lift these sanctions that were a burden to the Syrians.” 

The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which was temporarily suspended by the US in November, was a sanctions regime targeting the Syrian government and those doing business with Damascus, cutting the country off from the global economy. The law was enacted during the rule of the deposed Baathist regime under Assad.

The suspension of the sanctions followed a landmark meeting between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his US counterpart Donald Trump in the White House.

US Congressman Joe Wilson hailed the decision to repeal the sanctions, stating, “Make Syria Great Again!”

With the House’s approval, the bill will now be presented to the Senate and must later be signed by Trump before the end of the year to take effect.