Robert Torricelli: “I would be less than honest if I did not also express some profound disappointment. If this legislation today had come…”

“I would be less than honest if I did not also express some profound disappointment. If this legislation today had come before the House in an amendable fashion, I would have been offering an amendment to provide that the sanctions against Iran would remain in place not simply until it ceases terrorism against the world but until it respects the rights of its own people. In enacting sanctions against Iraq, Vietnam and Cuba, this body respected the rights of the people in those countries and insisted upon strong sanctions until the war against them, their political rights, their freedom and their safety was respected. Somehow with regard to the Iranian people, despite the deaths of the Baha'is, Christians, Jews, a Moslem majority, we take no such action. Because this bill comes before us on the suspension calendar, that amendment is not possible and indeed it is on the suspension calendar so such amendments are not possible. It will be difficult to explain to Iranian-Americans and indeed one day to the people of Iran when they ask, 'You took sanctions to defend yourselves, why did you not take them to respect us?'”