Washington, D.C. — Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, issued the following statement on the votes in the House of Representatives to condemn the war crimes of both ISIL and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad through H. Con. Res. 75 and H. Con. Res. 121.

“The war crimes being committed by the Islamic State in the Levant and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are unimaginable and reprehensible. I am appalled that the Obama Administration has fallen silent on these actions. By remaining removed, the Administration is signaling America’s astonishing indifference to the mass killing and forced imprisonment of thousands of innocent people. The House of Representatives will continue putting pressure on the Administration to deem these actions just what they are—genocide and offensive crimes against humanity.”

Note: This week, the Obama administration is likely to miss a congressionally-mandated March 17 deadline that requires a final decision on whether ISIL is perpetrating genocide. Additionally, the administration has a duty to determine whether or not the Assad regime is guilty of war crimes.