Howard Berman: “Mr. Chairman, section 303 amends the National Security Act of 1947 to add a new section, 901, authorizing the President…”

“Mr. Chairman, section 303 amends the National Security Act of 1947 to add a new section, 901, authorizing the President to stay the imposition of certain sanctions, should the President determine that to proceed without delay would seriously risk the compromise of an ongoing criminal investigation or an intelligence source or method. Mr. Chairman, I was originally quite troubled by that provision, because it appeared to me to provide an open-ended opportunity for any President to bypass the intent sanctions law.”