The Obama administration gambled that its nuclear deal would make the regime in Tehran behave more responsibly.  Instead, over the past year:

  • Iran has accelerated its illicit weapons programs – including development of missiles capable of launching a nuclear weapon at the United States;
  • Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps forces have worsened an already horrible conflict in Syria, and;
  • Iran has stepped up support for terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas that have attacked the United States and Israel.

The Iran Sanctions Act is central to protecting America from Iran’s threatening behavior.  For more than 20 years, the Iran Sanctions Act has supported a framework of sanctions aimed at Iran’s illicit weapons programs and ballistic missiles development.

But unless Congress acts, the Iran Sanctions Act will expire at the end of the year.

That’s why, today, the House will vote on Chairman Royce’s bipartisan bill – H.R. 6297 – to provide a long-term extension of the Iran Sanctions Act.  It will extend sanctions on Iran’s weapons programs that were not lifted under the nuclear agreement and provide clear authority to “snap-back” many of the most powerful sanctions on Iran’s energy industry if the regime rushes toward a nuclear weapon.

This common-sense bill is just the latest in our continued efforts to expose the dangers of the president’s nuclear deal and our push for a more assertive response to Iran’s destructive acts.

In July, the House passed Leader McCarthy’s Iran Accountability Act of 2016 (H.R. 5631) to impose new sanctions on Iran for its ballistic missiles program and its human rights abuses.  Sadly, the White House threatened to veto this bill, which does exactly what President Obama promised – keep up the pressure on Iran for its behavior outside the nuclear deal that threatens the U.S. and our allies.

Next year, with a new Congress and a new administration, we will certainly consider additional steps to check the radical Iranian regime.  Today’s vote is an important first step toward holding Iran accountable and – most importantly – keeping America safe.