U.S. continues to respond to Syrian crisis

Noting "[t]he two-year anniversary of the Syria uprising coincides with another dark milestone: over one million refugees have fled Syria," Anne Richard, assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration, writes in the State Department's "DipNote" blog, "This escalating crisis ... is challenging all of us to do more. We must ensure more life-saving assistance reaches people who need it." She notes the U.S. "is the leading government donor to the crisis, having already provided nearly $385 million in humanitarian assistance," and highlights her participation on Tuesday "in a Google+ Hangout about the Syrian crisis with Antonio Guterres, the high commissioner for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR)." Richard concludes, "I will continue to use every avenue possible -- including via social media platforms -- to get the word out on the need to respond and the role the United States is playing" (3/19).