Vote Alert for H.R. 3662 Iran Terror Finance Transparency
Scheduled on the House floor for January 13th
Council for a Livable World urges you to vote No on H.R. 3662, Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act.
This bill represents a desperate attempt by Republicans to upend the Iran nuclear agreement mere days before it is likely to go into effect. By adding additional obstacles to the lifting of sanctions, the bill limits the Executive Branch and future administrations from fulfilling their commitments under the agreement. Approving this bill risks a collapse of the international effort to constrain Iran’s nuclear program and will let Iran off the hook — leaving the U.S. Congress to be blamed.
Background: The United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany (P5+1) reached an agreement with Iran last year that requires Iran to constrain and dismantle most of its nuclear program in exchange for the suspension of nuclear-related sanctions. On January 7, Secretary of State Kerry indicated that implementation of the Iran agreement may be “days away.”
Reasons for opposition:
- Using criteria that are outside the scope of the agreement, the bill alters the standards for what the president must certify before providing sanctions relief to Iranian entities. This could block the United States’ ability to live up to its obligations under the deal.
- The bill was written without any consultation of Democrats. It is more a messaging amendment than an attempt at serious legislation.
- Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y. 16), who voted against the Iran nuclear agreement last year, has opposed this bill, likening it to the 62 votes that Congress has taken on repealing the Affordable Care Act.
- “I believe it doesn’t serve any purpose to have bills like this that are designed to kill the deal. I don’t want to vote 62 or 63 times on killing the Iran agreement. We already have had one several months ago, and this is now the second one. And I’m afraid we’re following the same path that we’re following with the Affordable Healthcare Act. Congress has spoken, and it’s done.”
- Iran has lived up to its commitments thus far under the agreement. If the U.S. violates the deal, we will isolate ourselves, while allowing Iran’s nuclear program to continue unchecked.
- The nuclear agreement was never intended to fix every troubling aspect of Iran’s behavior unrelated to its nuclear program. But walking away from an agreement that prevents Iran from building a nuclear weapon is foolish, especially when there is no practical alternative to address this issue.
- For those reasons, the Obama Administration opposes the bill and has made clear that the President would veto the bill if it were to reach the president’s desk.
