Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White House on Monday, capping a remarkable turnaround for a man the US once considered a wanted terrorist.
The US lifted some restrictions on al-Sharaa before his meeting with President Donald Trump, which marked the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to Washington.
But the new government, led by former rebels who toppled Bashar al-Assad, is urging US lawmakers to repeal the most punishing sanctions isolating Syria from the world economy.
Critics oppose removing all restrictions at once without retaining the ability to easily reimpose them; supporters say doing so is the only way to give investors certainty.
Al-Sharaa has been on a recent diplomatic blitz, with stops in Moscow and Saudi Arabia.