Scott Statement on House Passage of His Bill to Cement U.S. Sanctions on Iran

Scott Statement on House Passage of His Bill to Cement U.S. Sanctions on Iran

Washington, D.C. - Ranking Member Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed his Solidify Iran Sanctions Act (SISA), by a vote of 407 to 16, to make permanent energy and weapons sanctions in the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. The bill, if signed into law, would cement sanctions that restrict funding for Iran's energy and weapons sectors, thereby curtailing the regime's ability to finance terrorism and develop its nuclear program.

"Today is an important first step in curtailing Iran's reign of terror and ensuring the regime doesn't receive a blank check from this administration. I urged the Senate to pass this important legislation," said Ranking Member Scott.

Background:

In 1996, Congress passed the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), which allowed the president to impose secondary sanctions on Iran's energy sector. Throughout the years, ISA provisions were expanded to include other Iranian industries. ISA consists of "triggers" that place sanctions on firms or entities that violate U.S. sanctions under this law. As Iran continues its nuclear enrichment towards a weapons-grade level, it is essential that the United States solidifies its pivotal sanctions to apply pressure toward the rogue regime. The Solidify Iran Sanctions Act removes the sunset provision in the ISA and signals that the U.S. remains firmly committed to sanctioning the regime until it changes its malign behavior.

Ranking Member Scott has continued to apply pressure on the Iranian regime and hold the Biden administration accountable for its disturbing pattern of sanctions non-enforcement and sanctions relief to Iran. Ranking Member Scott's Revoke Iranian Funding Act would permanently freeze $6 billion released by the Biden administration to Iran and direct the Treasury Secretary to provide Congress with the information it needs to prevent Iran from accessing and using sanctioned funds.

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