Political Quotes

“I oppose the gentleman's amendment. Really, this provision doesn't belong on this appropriations bill. It is an issue best considered by the Foreign Affairs Committee. This amendment would prevent the Department from spending any fiscal 17 funds to purchase heavy water produced in Iran and would undermine the Iran deal. This transaction provides the United States industry with a critical product while enabling Iran to sell some of its excess heavy water as contemplated in the agreement and further ensuring that this product will not be used to develop a nuclear weapon, which is the objective that we all sought when we supported the agreement. Heavy water is needed here in our country. We stopped producing it in 1988 and now buy what we need from India and other countries. A portion of this heavy water will be used at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and by manufacturers for fiberoptic cable, MRI machines, and semiconductors. Most importantly, U.S. purchase of this heavy water prevents Iran from selling it to those who would choose to use it for the wrong reasons. Mr. Chairman, as I have stated, I object to this amendment as proposed. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the DeSantis amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. DeSANTIS. It is interesting, Mr. Chair, people talk about the Iran deal, and what the administration has really been doing is they have even gone beyond the concessions that are in the Iran deal.…”