President Barack Obama is clearing the way for the US to send non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition to help them prevent the use or proliferation of chemical weapons.
The president’s authorisation also allows the US to send chemical weapons-related personal protective equipment to international organisations working in Syria.
It also allows for the transfer of assistance to local health care providers in Syria to help them treat victims of chemical weapons attacks.
A senior administration official said the US had already started making plans to send the assistance before a chemical weapons attack in Syria on August 21.