On the recordDecember 13, 2011
I thank the ranking member, my friend, Mr. Berman. The legislation before us today will give the United States the tools to impose the most stringent, the most crippling sanctions aimed at cracking down on what is the greatest threat to international security, a nuclear armed Iran. The Iran Threat Reduction Act builds on the already significant steps this Congress took, along with our partners in the EU and at the United Nations last year, to dramatically ratchet up pressure on the Iranian regime in order to thwart its illicit quest for nuclear weapons. The bill comes on the heels of the IAEA report that confirmed what we already knew--the Iranian regime is pursuing nuclear weapons. It comes on the heels of the foiled Iranian assassination plot and the dangerous attack coordinated by the regime on the British Embassy. And it comes even as the Iranian regime contributes to the brutal crackdown on the Syrian people that has left over 5,000 dead, so that the regime can continue to use Syria as a conduit for routing weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas to be used against Israel. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have authored two provisions contained in this bill. And I would like to thank the bill's sponsors, Chairman Ros- Lehtinen and Ranking Member Berman, for working with me to include the Iran Transparency and Accountability Act and the Iran Human Rights Democracy Promotion Act.…
