H.R. 850 - Nuclear Iran Prevention Act

Statement

The House today passed the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act of 2013 by a bipartisan majority. Iran is among the greatest dangers facing the world. The mullah's regime has killed American troops and citizens for decades, funds terrorist organizations like Hizballah, actively supports Bashar al-Assad's brutal civil war against the Syrian people, and viciously represses the Iranian people. Iran does all this without a nuclear deterrent, so we can only imagine what the mullahs would do if they obtained nuclear-weapons capability. Short of military action, this legislation is our last, best opportunity to stop Iran's nuclear-weapons program.

This legislation improves our sanctions against Iran in many ways, particularly by further restricting Iran's ability to export oil, significantly expanding the list of Iranian officials subject to financial sanctions, and denying the regime access to foreign currency markets. Moreover, the bill contains two important amendments I offered in the Foreign Affairs Committee. The first amendment provides desperately needed transparency by requiring a report related to financial net worth of certain high-ranking regime officials. The second amendment requires enhance reporting requirements about Iran's economy and its uranium and plutonium production, all designed to add greater urgency to the international effort to stop Iran's nuclear programs.

As important, today's legislation contains language similar to an amendment I offered in committee to prevent regime officials from evading sanctions through family members. Specifically, the bill enables the administration to prevent sanctioned officials from hiding assets and income with spouses, children, parents, and other extended relatives. In corrupt regimes like Iran, sanctioned officials often hide their wealth among their family members. For instance, the richest man in Syria isn't Bashar Al-Assad; it's his cousin. That's why President Obama took similar steps against Muammar Gaddafi's family in 2011. This critical provision will significantly strengthen our sanctions against Iranian.

I'm grateful to my colleagues for their support of this important bill. And I am grateful to Chairman Royce and my fellow members of the Foreign Affairs Committee for their efforts imposing the strongest sanctions possible against Iran's corrupt regime. As I have said time and time again, we must take action in Iran before it's too late. I look forward to swift Senate action on this bill.

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