West OC Times

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Washington, D.C.— On May 1, Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA), Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) led 22 of their colleagues in introducing the bipartisan and bicameral Solidify Iran Sanctions Act (SISA), to make permanent the sanctions established by the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. The bill is a companion to Senate legislation introduced by Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC), Rosen (D-NV), and Hassan (D-NH).

The affected provisions of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 are set to expire in 2026. The SISA would ensure the U.S. can maintain critical deterrents and apply pressure to the Iranian regime to prevent them from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“Iran has made clear it has no interest in participating in the international community or working towards peace. Iran brutalizes its own people, most recently conducting chemical attacks on thousands of schoolgirls,” said Steel. “The rogue state continues to make threats against democracy and actively sponsors terrorism around the world. Through this bipartisan, bicameral legislation, we can prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons and further jeopardizing global peace.”

“The Iran Sanctions Act is one of the most important tools in US law to compel Iran to abandon it’s dangerous and destabilizing behavior,” said McCaul. “This bill takes the long overdue step of striking the arbitrary sunset from the law, so that sanctions will only be lifted if Iran stops its threatening behavior. Iran can’t run out the clock on U.S. law.”

“Despite efforts by the United States and our allies to improve regional stability and cooperation in the Middle East, Iran, a supporter and exporter of terrorism, threatens not only its neighbors, but global stability overall. That’s why I’m joining Congresswoman Steel to introduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation to ensure the United States retains the full sanctions authority we need to protect Americans and our allies and to check Iran’s belligerent activities across the globe. Regardless of political party, Congress must stand firm against the Iranian regime’s brutal repression of its own people, its funding of terrorism abroad, and its reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons,” said Lee.

“The Solidifying Iran Sanction Act is an important bipartisan effort to solidify critical sanctions on the Iranian regime at a time when Tehran is dangerously advancing its nuclear program and targeting U.S. troops,” said AIPAC Spokesperson Marshall Wittman.

“SISA would help to maintain the backbone of sanctions pressure on Iran for its malign conduct. Since 1996 ISA has been a centerpiece of US efforts to choke off funds going to Iran through the energy sector that were fueling the Islamic Republic’s global terrorism and nuclear proliferation. Extending the legislation would send the message to Tehran that the Congress will continue to impose sanctions on Iran until it ceases its nuclear program and stops engaging in terrorism,” said Foundation for Defense of Democracies Action.

“We applaud Senators Scott, Hassan, Rosen, and Representatives Steel, Lee, and McCaul for reintroducing the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act. The threat posed by the Islamic Republic has no expiration date, and thus neither should U.S. sanctions on the regime. Eliminating ISA’s sunset is a key part of increasing American pressure on the regime," said United Against Nuclear Iran.

Background

The Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 allows the President to impose sanctions on Iran that restrain the regime’s ability to fund operations that endanger U.S. military personnel, Israel, and our Arab partners. Specifically, it places economic pressures on Iran’s energy sector to prevent the regime from acquiring the financial resources needed to support terrorism or further develop their nuclear or biological weapons.

The legislation is cosponsored by 16 Republicans and 8 Democrats.

Foreign Affairs 

Original source can be found here.