Ted Poe: “I thank Mr. Meehan for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, the Iranian ayatollah has preached and practiced ``Death to…”

“I thank Mr. Meehan for this legislation. Mr. Speaker, the Iranian ayatollah has preached and practiced ``Death to America'' since the 1970s. Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran has been sued in Federal courts by the families of the murdered victims. Iran is guilty of the murder of 421 Americans in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983. Iran is guilty of the murder of 19 servicemembers and injuring 372 others in Saudi Arabia in 1996. Iran is guilty of murdering a thousand other Americans, including some in Iraq and Afghanistan. Federal courts have awarded the victim and families over $40 billion for these crimes, but Iran will not pay. It laughs at the death of the innocent it has murdered. It laughs at American justice. Well, Mr. Speaker, it is about time for the long arm of American justice to hold Iran accountable for its sins--make them pay. I don't understand why some appeasers are more concerned about the murderous Iranian regime than they are about justice, justice for the victims that were murdered by this regime. Let the ayatollah know he cannot get a diplomatic pass or sanctions relief until he pays for his crimes. The ayatollah has sown the seeds of murder, and now it is time for Iran to reap the consequences of their crimes. It seems to me that the voices of the murdered cry out for us to do something for justice, justice for them that has been too long waiting. This bill, in my opinion, will do it.…”