On the recordJuly 31, 2013
I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, a nuclear Iran is one of our biggest national security threats and the number one existential threat to our ally, the democratic Jewish State of Israel. We cannot and must not allow Iran, who is a designated state sponsor of terrorism, to reach nuclear breakout capability. The Obama administration should not be mistaken. The Iranian regime does not want peace. It still wants to wipe Israel off the map. Iran may be able to process low-enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon by next year. Iran has agreed to offer Syria a $3.6 billion credit facility to buy oil products to help keep Assad's murderous regime afloat. Iran supports and fights alongside Assad's forces, brutally slaughtering thousands of Syrians. Rouhani has no intention of changing Iran's dangerous path, and the ultimate decisionmaker in this oppressive regime remains the Ayatollah Khamenei, who has a blatant hatred of us and our allies. This bill includes my amendment that would eliminate the authority to waive sanctions against persons who are guilty of the most egregious activities in direct support of the Iranian regime's nuclear program. This is a commonsense provision. This is a strong bill, and I urge all of my colleagues to fully support its passage
