Cardin Sponsors Bill To Keep Iran Accountable

Press Release

Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013 Proposes Prospective Sanctions on Iran if the regime breaches the Joint Plan of Action or fails to conclude a final agreement, Provides Flexibility to Pursue a Diplomatic Track Senators Call for a Final Agreement that Verifiably Results in the Termination of Iran's Nuclear Weapons Program

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senator Foreign Relations Committee, and 25 of his colleagues today introduced the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act, bipartisan legislation proposing prospective sanctions on Iran should the regime violate the interim Joint Plan of Action agreed to in Geneva or should Iran fail to reach a final agreement. The legislation is consistent with President Obama's commitments that no new sanctions would go into effect as long as Iran is in compliance.

"We want to give diplomacy a chance to take root. Both Congress and the Administration share a common resolve that the preferred way to get Iran to give up its nuclear weapons program is through diplomacy. But we must be prepared to test Iran's sincerity to comply with these latest efforts to keep them from acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities. Iran's track record gives us good reason to have new and stronger sanctions at the ready," said Senator Cardin.

The legislation was co-sponsored by 26 senators, including: Senators Cardin, Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).