Padilla, Rubio Bill to Hold the Iranian Regime Accountable Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) celebrated President Biden signing the Mahsa Amini Human Rights and Security Accountability (MAHSA) Act into law as part of the national security supplemental package. The bipartisan legislation, which Senator Padilla co-led with Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), will require an assessment of whether or not sanctions should be imposed on top leaders of the oppressive Islamic regime, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and the President of Iran following a series of human rights violations in the country.

"Senator Rubio and I introduced the MAHSA Act to impose sanctions on top Iranian political leadership after its brutal crackdown on protesters, who demonstrated tremendous courage in voicing their outrage toward the Iranian regime after the heinous death of Mahsa Amini," said Senator Padilla. "Now that President Biden has signed our bill into law, we must hold Iranian leaders accountable for the regime's ongoing repression, censorship, and abuse against its people."

Under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, anti-terrorism executive orders, the Global Magnitsky executive order, and other laws permitting sanctions on corrupt foreign officials, the top leaders of the Islamic regime, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi, and their respective offices are subject to U.S. sanctions. Their sponsorship of terrorism that threatens Americans and ongoing efforts to actively repress and brutally assault Iranian protestors meet the criteria required for sanctions.

Specifically, the MAHSA Act will:

• Require a report to Congress in 90 days regarding each foreign person described as responsible for human rights violations in Iran, the Supreme Leader, the President of Iran, and entities overseen by their offices; and

• Impose applicable sanctions on those identified individuals through sanctions available through various Executive Orders, including EO 13224 on terrorism, 13818 on human rights, and 13553 on Iran's nuclear programs.

U.S. Representatives Jim Banks (R-Ind.-03) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14) led companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Last year, Padilla and Rubio issued a statement condemning the Iranian regime for the death of Mahsa Amini.

Full text of the MAHSA Act is available here.

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