Holding Iran Accountable

Press Release

This week Congressman Scott Rigell (VA-02) supported, and the House of Representatives passed, the No 2H2O from Iran Act. This bill would prohibit the United States from purchasing heavy water from Iran. H.R. 5119 now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Congressman Rigell, who voted against the Obama Administration's Iran Nuclear Agreement in 2015, in part because it provided Iran with substantial relief from sanctions on its ballistic missile program without requiring any limits on Iran's efforts to develop this dangerous technology, said: "Iran is the world's largest sponsor of terrorism and has hidden from the world the military dimension of its nuclear program. Stopping Iran's nuclear program, not just managing it, or providing monetary incentive for its continuation, is a strategic, moral imperative."

Heavy water (2H2O) is essential to the production of weapons-grade plutonium. Despite the key role this material plays in the production of nuclear weapons, the nuclear agreement negotiated by the Obama Administration in 2015 did not limit Iran's ability to produce heavy water. Further, in April, President Obama agreed to purchase 32 metric tons of heavy water from Iran. This bill would prohibit U.S. funds from being used to purchase heavy water produced in Iran.

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Other legislation passed this week to hold Iran accountable:

Iran Accountability Act of 2016 (H.R. 5631): Would impose new sanctions on Iran for human rights abuses, ballistic missile development, and terror financing.

National Strategy for Combating Terrorist, Underground, and Other Illicit Financing Act (H.R. 5594): Would require the President to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

Enhancing Treasury's Anti-Terror Tools Act (H.R. 5607): Would require the Treasury Department to incorporate U.S. Embassies into counter-terrorism financing efforts and assess ways to improve monitoring of terrorists' cross-border fund transfers.

United States Financial System Protection Act of 2016 (H.R. 4992): Would prevent Iran's access to the dollar until the regime ends its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and ceases its support for terrorism.

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