Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to urge my colleagues to pass amendment No. 1414 that I have offered with my distinguished colleague from Illinois, Senator Kirk, to strengthen sanctions against Iran that go to the heart of the regime's ability to finance its nuclear ambitions. This is a broad-based effort, a bipartisan effort, and one that needs the Senate's attention and passage. In my view, we have to follow the money, and this amendment does exactly that. If we are serious about limiting Iran's ability to finance its nuclear ambitions, this amendment is essential to that effort. It is a serious attempt to sanction the Central Bank of Iran, which is known to be complicit in Iran's nuclear efforts. If we fail to close loopholes and sanction funding mechanisms for Iran's nuclear development programs, we would be like a rancher who left the barn open and wonders why the horses are gone. To not pass this amendment is leaving the door open to Iran's runaway nuclear ambitions. We cannot and we must not let that happen. I know the administration has expressed their concerns about this amendment--an amendment which, by the way, has come about as a result of the administration asking us to work with them, and a bipartisan effort has achieved a narrower, more defined, tailored effort to bring the maximum sanctions upon Iran with the minimum consequence to both the United States and our allies across the globe.…”