On the recordJuly 14, 2016
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is too important and the stakes are too high to treat this issue as just another political football. The safety and security of the United States, of Israel, and of the region depend on the successful implementation and diligent enforcement of the JCPOA. Instead of scoring political points, or seeking to deny the President a significant achievement, we should be working together in a bipartisan fashion to ensure the agreement's success. We should be working together to explore ways to enhance coordination and cooperation with Israel and the international community to address unacceptable Iranian behavior, such as support for Hezbollah and abuse of human rights. Yet we find ourselves here, 1 year after the agreement's announcement, still dealing with ObamaCare-style gamesmanship. It is beneath this institution. The world is watching. We may think a bill that has no chance of being signed into law doesn't matter; but to the leaders of China or Russia or Iran, it sends a signal from our country of hesitation and disunity. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and any bills that come before us with similar intent and to focus, instead, on ensuring the success of the JCPOA and reinforcing the agreement's role in making the world a safer place.





