Gregory Meeks: “This amendment would be counterproductive to America's interest. No President, whether he be Democratic or Republican…”

“This amendment would be counterproductive to America's interest. No President, whether he be Democratic or Republican, has used this waiver for anything but the most pressing reasons. Rescinding this waiver would likely prevent the administration from waiving sanctions that allow Iraq to pay for electricity imports from Iran. Without this waiver, Iraq likely will be unable to import electricity from Iran, leading to electricity outages and instability across Iraq. We have seen what instability in Iraq looks like over the past decade: the decay of central governance, the rise of ISIS, and a growing terrorist ideology that struck America and Europe in numerous deadly attacks. America has many interests in the Middle East, and this waiver is important for ensuring that this administration or any future administration has the flexibility it needs to promote American interests. It is important for the Presidents, this one and those in the future, to have that flexibility. Thereby, I oppose my good friend from Texas' amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”