WASHINGTON, DC — The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) applauds the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for its passage of legislation to impose sanctions on Turkey for its invasion of northeast Syria. The committee passed the Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act of 2019 (S.2641), 18 to 4.
AHI thanks the bill’s sponsors, U.S. Senator James Risch (R-ID), who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, along with the bill’s co-sponsors and members of the committee who voted in favor.
“We urge the United States Senate, specifically Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, to now take action and pass the legislation,” President Nick Larigakis said. “The United States must send a strong message and impose sanctions on Turkey for its invasion of northeast Syria and for its violation of United States law with the acquisition of Russia’s S-400 missile system. Otherwise, Turkey will continue with its aggressive and provocative acts, which are egregious and are not in American security interests, without fear of repercussion.”
He added, “Turkey is a failed ally of the United States and is a threat to the security of United States allies, such as Greece and Israel, and strategic partners, such as the Republic of Cyprus, as we are seeing on a routine basis in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
On October 29, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed S.2461’s companion bill, H.R.4695, the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey (PACT) Act, by an overwhelming margin, 403 to 16.
