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On the recordDecember 4, 2012
Madam President, I would first like to take this time to thank my colleagues Senator Menendez and Senator Kirk for putting forth a comprehensive plan to arm the administration with the tools they need to put a stop to Iran's rogue nuclear program and for working to put together the final text of this amendment. Look, time's a-wasting, so we need to ratchet up the sanctions now. And rest assured--this is a powerful package that will paralyze the Iranian economy. I believe that when it comes to Iran, we should never take the military option off the table. But I have long argued that economic sanctions are the preferred and probably most effective way to choke Iran's nuclear ambitions. It should come as no surprise that today the head of International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, suggested that his inspectors in Iran are coming under increased duress amid fears that the Iranian regime might be aspiring to make atomic arms. And according to published reports, Iran could have at least one workable nuclear weapon by next year and another maybe 6 months after that. This cannot be allowed! Additionally, the IAEA has reported that Iran possesses a highly organized program dedicated to acquiring the skills necessary to produce and test a nuclear bomb. Earlier this year, Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper told the Senate Intelligence Committee that Iran's leaders seem prepared to attack U.S. interests overseas. Just last year we saw U.S.…
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Chuck Schumer
Democratic · New York

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