Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel Release Iran Nuclear Letter to be Sent to President Obama

Press Release

Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel, the Committee's Ranking Member, released a bipartisan letter they intend to soon send to President Obama noting that Congress played a central role in enacting sanctions against Iran and informing him that any long-term sanctions relief for Iran requires Congressional action. The letter is now circulating among all Members of the House.

While Iran's nuclear program continues to pose a grave threat to the national security of the United States and our allies, the Obama Administration, Iran, and other world powers in November reached an "interim agreement" that eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for minimal nuclear concessions. The agreement set a July 20 deadline for reaching a "comprehensive solution" to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The letter states: "When asked if your Administration would come to Congress to secure legislative relief of sanctions in a final agreement with Iran, in a recent Congressional hearing, Secretary of State John Kerry responded: "(w)ell, of course. We would be obligated to under the law.' He added that "what we do will have to pass muster with Congress.' We strongly agree with the Secretary's assessment, and believe the final agreement must verifiably ensure that Iran is denied an undetectable nuclear weapons breakout capability."

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