Cornyn Works to End Russian Arms Sales to Syria

Press Release

Today the U.S. Senate Finance Committee rejected an amendment authored by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) that would have delayed the effective date of legislation establishing permanent normal trade relations ("PNTR") with Russia until the President certifies that the Russian government has ceased the transfer of weapons to Syria:

"If the murder of one courageous Russian lawyer at the hands of his own government warrants actions, doesn't the murder of more than ten thousand Syrian civilians at the hands of their government?

"We should not squander this chance by giftwrapping PNTR and handing it to Russia without a second thought as to Russia's actions in Syria, which fly in the face of our most basic values and interests."

Background

Sen. Cornyn's provision would have delayed the effective date of the bill until the President certifies that the Government of the Russian Federation has ceased facilitating the transfer of lethal military equipment, and the maintenance of existing lethal military equipment, to Syria. At the markup, Sen. Cornyn secured an agreement from Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) to work on Sen. Cornyn's bipartisan resolution condemning Russia.

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