An outbreak of brutal, sectarian violence in Syria has intensified debate in Congress over whether to follow President Trump’s directive to lift all sanctions on the country.

While Trump has put his support behind Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who with his allies was responsible for overthrowing Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in December, some Republicans and Democrats are skeptical that al-Sharaa has completely shed his terrorist past.

The violence in Sweida, located in southern Syria — which included the reported killing of an American citizen — cast a harsh light on the enormous challenges facing the new Syrian leaders in exercising control over warring militias and minority groups.

Still, there’s also bipartisan support for advancing Trump’s directive, in particular repealing the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019 — landmark legislation that imposed a harsh sanctions regime meant to isolate Assad and quicken his downfall.

“There are a number of different ideas on where and how far to go, and that's a debate that we're having right now,” Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told The Hill on Tuesday.

Mast held back from taking a position on repealing or taking a more calibrated approach to sanctions relief. That divide was on display Tuesday at a meeting of the House Financial Services Committee.

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) introduced legislation advanced by the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday to amend the sanctions legislation to allow the administration to waive sanctions beyond the six-month period currently allowed, and to give the president more flexibility to lift sanctions when certain conditions are met.

Lawler’s bill was backed by Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), who offered an amendment calling for the government to demonstrate its commitment to protecting minorities.

“We cannot expect perfection, we are not looking for Jeffersonian democracy in Syria, but we are also looking for a government to do all it can to prevent seven Druze, including one U.S. citizen, from being executed,” he said, referring to the violence last week.

Sherman told The Hill he was not in favor of repealing the act completely.

Israel intervened in Syria last week, launching strikes on the capital Damascus and the southern Druze-majority city of Sweida last........

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