Yesterday afternoon, Chairman Royce joined Jake Tapper on CNN’s The Lead to condemn Russia’s latest use of its veto at the U.N. Security Council to protect the Assad regime in Syria. Here are a couple of key excerpts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVE3gVYQCsc&feature=youtu.be

Russia’s continued efforts to protect Assad are disgraceful:

“Assad has carried out these brutal attacks… suffocating children.  This time [Assad’s been] caught in the act, red-handed.  And now, once again, you have Putin come to the aid of Assad.  Not just at the United Nations, but also in these diplomatic discussions where frankly, we need to get down to brass tacks.  [The use of poison gas] is not something that is in the interest of stability anywhere in the world.”

Next steps:

“The legislation I passed through the House [last year] with Eliot Engel, my ranking member, to… put additional sanctions on Putin’s Russia and Iran as a consequence of their support here for Assad… we are now bringing that bill up again.  This time I think we will get it through the Senate.  This time I think we will get a presidential signature on it.”