EXCLUSIVE – In a bipartisan effort, senators urged President Biden to brief the Senate by December 20th on the administration’s strategy to secure Austin Tice’s release from Syria.

A letter, obtained by Digital, signed by 34 senators including Senators [Senator’s Names] and Chris Van Hollen, pressed Biden to capitalize on the shifting Syrian landscape to bring Tice home.

The letter cites the Assad regime’s fall and evolving ground situation in Syria as a crucial opportunity for Tice’s release. It acknowledges Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s statements prioritizing Tice’s return, but seeks detailed briefing on the ongoing efforts.

The letter notes multiple reward programs, including a $1 million reward and the State Department’s $10 million Rewards for Justice program, are in place for information leading to Tice’s location.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on Monday that intensive efforts are underway to locate and return Tice to his family.

Renewed efforts are underway to connect U.S. officials with on-the-ground sources potentially possessing information on Tice’s whereabouts.

Sullivan reported on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the U.S. is working with Turkish partners and using back channels to contact individuals in Syria with knowledge of Tice’s possible imprisonment, while the State Department confirmed similar outreach by envoy Roger Carstens in Beirut.

The Assad regime’s fall has raised hopes for Tice’s return, as the release of prisoners from Syrian jails has begun. Despite Tice’s 2012 capture and uncertain condition, he is still believed to be alive.

The letter emphasizes the twelve-year-long plea from Tice’s parents and urges the administration to act decisively to secure his release, highlighting Tice’s background as a journalist, veteran and Eagle Scout. It concludes by expressing Congress’s willingness to cooperate and encouraging the administration to prevent future hostage situations involving American citizens.