Congressman backs Syrian sanction repeal conditions

By JOSH BREECHEN

Last week, we released a statement on the Syrian sanction repeal conditions found in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Fox News wrote an exclusive on the statement.

As I told Fox, I’m grateful that 134 Members of Congress have committed to monitoring the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities in Syria, ensuring that the sanction repeal conditions found in the NDAA are upheld.

The statement reads as follows:

The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was signed into law on Dec. 18, 2025. This measure included a repeal of sanctions for the nation of Syria.

Many Members of Congress, committed to seeking peace, prosperity and tolerance for religious minorities in the region, worked with the Trump Administration and House leadership to secure assurances that snapback conditions regarding the repeal of Syrian sanctions would be enforced if Syria does not comply with the terms highlighted in the repeal language.

The mass murder of the Syrian Christians, Druze, Alawites, Kurds and other religious and ethnic minorities must be a thing of the past. Congress is committed to keeping a watchful eye on the new al-Sharaa Administration to ensure protections for religious and ethnic minorities in Syria.

In the coming months, we look forward to being invited into Syria by the al-Sharaa Administration to see firsthand that the terms given to Syria by the United States have been upheld regarding the treatment of religious minorities in As Suwayda.

We look forward to confirming that these terms have not been squandered by the Syrian government–whether by their president or by rogue military officials — and seeing for ourselves that the al-Sharaa Administration has created a safe environment for the religious and ethnic minorities historically persecuted in the region. Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Johnson and Chairman Mast, the House Foreign Affairs Committee has committed to hold a hearing in early 2026 highlighting the verified change of treatment for religious minorities in Syria. As Members of Congress, we understand that the Syrian government’s adherence to the conditions laid out in the NDAA’s sanction repeal language is essential for lasting peace in the Middle East and Syria’s prosperity.

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Last week, I voted for the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.

This legislation is estimated to reduce the deficit by $35.6 billion through 2035 and will lower healthcare premiums by 11 percent on average.

This legislation will also make it easier for small businesses and those who are self-employed to obtain higher-quality, more affordable healthcare.

Despite shutting down the government over “healthcare concerns,” almost every House Democrat voted against this healthcare plan.

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Last week, I voted for the Protect Children’s Innocence Act.

This commonsense legislation makes child mutilation surgeries a felony.

Children cannot consent to having their bodies mutilated and must be protected body, mind and soul from this evil.

Under this legislation, those who perform genital mutilation surgeries on children will be criminally prosecuted.

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Last week, I interviewed Jody Hice, where we discussed the persecution of Christians and Druze in the As Suwayda region of Syria.

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As your representative, it is an honor to speak with constituent groups who visit our office.

If you are ever in Washington and would like to set up a meeting, please contact our office and let us know!

Here’s the link to make contact with my office: https://brecheen.house.gov/services/meeting-request.htm.

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If you would like to have myself or a representative from our office attend and share a legislative update with your group, please call my office at (918) 283-6262.

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Brecheen is the current Oklahoma Congressional Second District representative.

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