Friday, December 09, 2016

Billy Long: Reauthorizing sanctions an important tool to keep Iran in check

(From Seventh District Congressman Billy Long)

In November, I voted in favor of making sure that the American people remain protected from Iran’s threatening behavior by voting for the reauthorization of the Iran Sanctions Act. Following the House’s vote, the Senate also voted in favor of reauthorizing the sanctions. Both the House and the Senate had overwhelming bipartisan support for this bill.

On a regular basis I receive calls from constituents who share their concerns about Washington’s weak response towards Iran.

With the Obama administration's Iran Nuclear deal, it makes reauthorizing these sanctions even more important.

This bill provides the authority to “snap-back” sanctions on Iran’s energy industry if they rush toward a nuclear weapon, it allows the legislative branch to have the final say on when Iran would get permanent sanctions relief and it extends the Iran Sanctions Act for another 10 years.

Though the bill does not affect the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, it allows us to make sure that Iran is being held accountable for their actions. That includes any human rights abuses, state sponsored terrorism or failing to hold up their end of the deal regarding their nuclear weapons program that was agreed to during the JCPOA negations.

Failing to hold up their end of the deal would allow the United States to “snap-back” the sanctions that were once in place before the disastrous JCPOA deal.

If the president vetoes this bill, the sanctions currently in place would expire at the end of the year. This would send a message to the world that the United States condones the immoral behavior of Iran in the Middle East as well as further the damage already done by the Obama administration’s deal.

With a new Congress and new administration, reauthorizing these sanctions will be a fresh start for President-elect Donald Trump to combat Iran’s belligerent actions that have continued to threaten national security all across the world.

To put it simply, reauthorizing these sanctions will be an important tool to keep the Iran regime in check.

3 comments:

Harvey Hutchinson said...

Good going Congressman Long!
We probably can't get the money back; but we gotta stop this nuke thing with them.

Thank God Trump is coming in to do that

Anonymous said...

All hail the Great Cheetolini!

The trains WILL run on time!

Anonymous said...

How 'bout we just send good ol' Billy boy over there along with little Harvey? There is enough BS there to bury them Iranians and then we can just take their oil and keep them rich folks happy!