propose a bill that would help ending the occupation. In July 2001, he was invited to attend a symposium on the Middle East, and after further delays from the State Department, he was granted an entry visa on 11 September, right before the same day attacks. After some hesitation about going, Aoun did travel to the United States, and met with several senators and representatives, but could not enter the congress because of the anthrax attacks. His talks did not lead to the result that he was seeking. Although the Bush Administration refused dealing with Aoun initially, they sent him a delegation of officials responsible for Lebanese affairs from the State Department, and explained the American position on the issue. Later on, tensions grew between the United States and Syria, with the latter being accused of supporting terrorism and not standing by the United States in the War on Terror. Engel introduced the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act in the House of Representatives on 12 April 2003. Aoun was invited to testify in congress, which he did on 17 September. In his testimony, he criticized Syria in several ways. Aoun's testimony was condemned by the Lebanese Council of Ministers and pro-Syrian politicians and organizations, and he was accused of plotting with the Zionist Lobby against Lebanon, Syria and the Arab Nation. The bill was approved by both the Senate with an 89–4 vote on 11 November, and the House with a 408–8 vote on 20 November, and was signed by President George W. Bush on 11 December. In the same year, an avowed Aounist candidate, Hikmat Dib, came surprisingly close to winning a key by-election in the Baabda–Aley constituency against the state-sponsored candidate, Henri Helou. Cedar Revolution and return to Lebanon: 2005 Aoun ended 15 years of self-imposed exile when he returned to Lebanon on 7 May 2005, following the withdrawal of the Syrian Army from Lebanon after the assassination of Rafic Hariri on 14 February 2005. Hariri's killing was a catalyst for dramatic political change in Lebanon. The massive protests of the Cedar Revolution helped achieve the withdrawal of Syrian troops and security forces from Lebanon, and a change in governments, paving the way for return of Aoun to Lebanon. Aoun held a short press conference at Beirut International Airport before heading with a convoy of loyalists and journalists to the "Grave of the Un-named Soldiers and