Kaine, Rubio lead push on humanitarian aid for Syria

U.S. Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va., has teamed up with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to lead a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling on President Barack Obama to develop and submit to Congress a more robust U.S. strategy for addressing the Syrian humanitarian crisis.

The call comes on the heels of reports by UNICEF, Save the Children and World Vision that highlight how millions of Syrian children have been affected by the three-year crisis.

“One of history’s greatest humanitarian catastrophes is unfolding before our eyes,” Kaine said in a statement. “The numbers defy belief — nearly

3 million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries, and more than 5.5 million children are in desperate need of assistance.”

The two senators’ push comes as part of the Syrian Humanitarian Resolution of 2014, which 19 senators introduced Thursday, condemning “the unlawful use of violence against civilians in Syria” while urging all parties in the country to allow for “immediate, unfettered access to humanitarian aid.”

If adopted, the resolution calls for the president to submit the new humanitarian strategy to relevant Senate committees within 90 days.

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