Iran Sanctions Extension Act

Floor Speech

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As always, I thank our esteemed chairman for those wonderful and kind words, and I thank our terrific friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), the ranking member. I thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for continuing to be great examples of the bipartisan cooperation of which we need so much in this Congress, and I thank the gentlemen for their leadership in bringing this important bill to the floor this afternoon.

Mr. Speaker, this has been a priority for the United States Congress but especially to members of our Foreign Affairs Committee, and it has been an issue on which I have worked extensively--and I thank the chairman for his words--alongside so many of my colleagues for over two decades.

In 2006, as the chairman pointed out, I authored a bill that expanded sanctions on Iran and that extended the Iran Sanctions Act through 2011. In 2010, I worked with then-Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard Berman on yet another comprehensive Iran sanctions bill, which also extended the Iran Sanctions Act through the end of this year. Today, I am so pleased and honored to support Chairman Royce's effort, guided by Mr. Engel's as well, to extend the Iran Sanctions Act for another 10 years, which will keep the foundation of sanctions against Iran in place for when Iran violates the nuclear deal.

I believe that those violations have already taken place. Earlier this year, we already saw the administration buy heavy water from Iran.

Why?

Because Iran was producing more heavy water than it was allowed to under the terms of the agreement. Just a few days ago, it was announced that Iran was, once again, over the allowable total of heavy water. We have also found out that there have been secret exemptions for Iran and that, without these exemptions, Iran would not have been in compliance with the JCPOA, which is the initials of the nuclear deal, before the deal went to Implementation Day.

That is why, Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely vital that we pass Mr. Royce and Mr. Engel's bill--that we extend these sanctions and that we keep the foundation of our sanctions against Iran in place. We need to keep the regime accountable for its violations of its nuclear deal and for its continued illicit activity.

There is absolutely no justification at all for allowing these sanctions to lapse. In fact, everything we have witnessed from the regime this year is a clear indication that we need to be looking at ensuring that all sanctions against Iran are fully and vigorously enforced and even expanded.

I urge my colleagues to support this important measure.

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