[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 625 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]

                                                        Calendar No. 27
114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 625

    To provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements 
      relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 3, 2015

 Mr. McConnell introduced the following bill; which was read the first 
                                  time

                             March 4, 2015

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements 
      relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF AGREEMENTS WITH IRAN 
              RELATING TO THE NUCLEAR PROGRAM OF IRAN.

    The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) is amended 
by inserting after section 134 the following new section:

``SEC. 135. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW AND OVERSIGHT OF AGREEMENTS WITH IRAN.

    ``(a) Transmission to Congress of Nuclear Agreements With Iran and 
Verification Assessment With Respect to Such Agreements.--
            ``(1) Transmission of agreements.--Not later than 5 
        calendar days after reaching an agreement with Iran relating to 
        the nuclear program of Iran, the President shall transmit to 
        the appropriate congressional committees--
                    ``(A) the text of the agreement and all related 
                materials and annexes;
                    ``(B) a verification assessment report of the 
                Secretary of State prepared under paragraph (2) with 
                respect to the agreement; and
                    ``(C) a certification that--
                            ``(i) the agreement includes the 
                        appropriate terms, conditions, and duration of 
                        the agreement's requirements with respect to 
                        Iran's nuclear activities and provisions 
                        describing any sanctions to be waived, 
                        suspended, or otherwise reduced by the United 
                        States, and any other nation or entity, 
                        including the United Nations; and
                            ``(ii) the President determines the 
                        agreement meets United States non-proliferation 
                        objectives, does not jeopardize the common 
                        defense and security, provides an adequate 
                        framework to ensure that Iran's nuclear 
                        activities permitted thereunder will not be 
                        inimical to or constitute an unreasonable risk 
                        to the common defense and security, and ensures 
                        that Iran's nuclear activities permitted 
                        thereunder will not be used to further any 
                        nuclear-related military or nuclear explosive 
                        purpose, including for any research on or 
                        development of any nuclear explosive device or 
                        any other nuclear-related military purpose.
            ``(2) Verification assessment report.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of State shall 
                prepare, with respect to an agreement described in 
                paragraph (1), a report assessing--
                            ``(i) the extent to which the Secretary 
                        will be able to verify that Iran is complying 
                        with its obligations under the agreement;
                            ``(ii) the adequacy of the safeguards and 
                        other control mechanisms and other assurances 
                        contained in the agreement with respect to 
                        Iran's nuclear program to ensure Iran's 
                        activities permitted thereunder will not be 
                        used to further any nuclear-related military or 
                        nuclear explosive purpose, including for any 
                        research on or development of any nuclear 
                        explosive device or any other nuclear-related 
                        military purpose; and
                            ``(iii) the capacity and capability of the 
                        International Atomic Energy Agency to 
                        effectively implement the verification regime 
                        required by the agreement, including whether 
                        the International Atomic Energy Agency has the 
                        required funding, manpower, and authority to do 
                        so.
                    ``(B) Assumptions.--In preparing a report under 
                subparagraph (A) with respect to an agreement described 
                in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall assume that Iran 
                could--
                            ``(i) use all measures not expressly 
                        prohibited by the agreement to conceal 
                        activities that violate its obligations under 
                        the agreement; and
                            ``(ii) alter or deviate from standard 
                        practices in order to impede efforts to verify 
                        that Iran is complying with those obligations.
                    ``(C) Classified annex.--A report under 
                subparagraph (A) shall be transmitted in unclassified 
                form, but shall include a classified annex prepared in 
                consultation with the Director of National 
                Intelligence, summarizing relevant classified 
                information.
            ``(3) Exception.--The requirements of subparagraphs (B) and 
        (C) of paragraph (1) shall not apply to an agreement defined in 
        subsection (i)(4).
    ``(b) Period for Review by Congress of Nuclear Agreements With 
Iran.--
            ``(1) In general.--During the 60-day period following 
        transmittal by the President of an agreement pursuant to 
        subsection (a), the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives shall, as appropriate, hold hearings and 
        briefings and otherwise obtain information in order to fully 
        review such agreement.
            ``(2) Limitation on actions during period of review.--
        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided 
        in paragraph (3), during the period for review provided in 
        paragraph (1), the President may not waive, suspend, reduce, 
        provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of 
        statutory sanctions with respect to Iran under any provision of 
        law or refrain from applying any such sanctions pursuant to an 
        agreement described in subsection (a).
            ``(3) Exception.--The prohibition under paragraph (2) does 
        not apply to any deferral, waiver, or other suspension of 
        statutory sanctions pursuant to the Joint Plan of Action if 
        that deferral, waiver, or other suspension is made--
                    ``(A) consistent with the law in effect on the date 
                of the enactment of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review 
                Act of 2015; and
                    ``(B) not later than 45 days before the 
                transmission by the President of an agreement, 
                assessment report, and certification under subsection 
                (a).
    ``(c) Effect of Congressional Action With Respect to Nuclear 
Agreements With Iran.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, action involving any measure of statutory sanctions relief 
        by the United States pursuant to an agreement subject to 
        subsection (a) or the Joint Plan of Action--
                    ``(A) may be taken, consistent with existing 
                statutory requirements for such action, if, during the 
                period for review provided in subsection (b)(1), the 
                Congress adopts, and there is enacted, a joint 
                resolution stating in substance that the Congress does 
                favor the agreement;
                    ``(B) may not be taken if, during the period for 
                review provided in subsection (b)(1), the Congress 
                adopts, and there is enacted, a joint resolution 
                stating in substance that the Congress does not favor 
                the agreement; or
                    ``(C) may be taken, consistent with existing 
                statutory requirements for such action, if, following 
                the period for review provided in subsection (b)(1), 
                there is not enacted any such joint resolution.
            ``(2) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, the 
        phrase `action involving any measure of statutory sanctions 
        relief by the United States' shall include waiver, suspension, 
        reduction, or other effort to provide relief from, or otherwise 
        limit the application of statutory sanctions with respect to, 
        Iran under any provision of law or any other effort to refrain 
        from applying any such sanctions.
    ``(d) Congressional Oversight of Iranian Compliance With Nuclear 
Agreements.--
            ``(1) In general.--The President shall, within 10 days of 
        receiving credible and accurate information relating to a 
        potentially significant breach or compliance incident by Iran 
        with respect to an agreement subject to subsection (a), submit 
        such information to the appropriate congressional committees.
            ``(2) Material breach report.--Not later than 10 days after 
        submitting information about a potentially significant breach 
        or compliance incident pursuant to paragraph (1), the President 
        shall make a determination whether such potentially significant 
        breach or compliance issue constitutes a material breach and 
        shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees such 
        determination, accompanied by, as appropriate, a report on the 
        action or failure to act by Iran that led to the material 
        breach, actions necessary for Iran to cure the breach, and the 
        status of Iran's efforts to cure the breach.
            ``(3) Semi-annual report.--Not later than 180 days after 
        entering into an agreement described in subsection (a), and not 
        less frequently than once every 180 days thereafter, the 
        President shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report on Iran's nuclear program and the 
        compliance of Iran with the agreement during the period covered 
        by the report, including the following elements:
                    ``(A) Any action or failure to act by Iran that 
                breached the agreement or is in noncompliance with the 
                terms of the agreement.
                    ``(B) Any delay by Iran of more than one week in 
                providing inspectors access to facilities, people, and 
                documents in Iran as required by the agreement.
                    ``(C) Any progress made by Iran to resolve concerns 
                by the International Atomic Energy Agency about 
                possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program.
                    ``(D) Any procurement by Iran of materials in 
                violation of the agreement.
                    ``(E) Any centrifuge research and development 
                conducted by Iran that--
                            ``(i) is not in compliance with the 
                        agreement; or
                            ``(ii) may substantially enhance the 
                        enrichment capacity of Iran if deployed.
                    ``(F) Any diversion by Iran of uranium, carbon-
                fiber, or other materials for use in Iran's nuclear 
                program in violation of the agreement.
                    ``(G) Any covert nuclear activities undertaken by 
                Iran.
                    ``(H) An assessment of whether any Iranian 
                financial institutions are engaged in money laundering 
                or terrorist finance activities, including names of 
                specific financial institutions if applicable.
                    ``(I) An assessment of--
                            ``(i) whether, and the extent to which, 
                        Iran supported acts of terrorism; and
                            ``(ii) whether Iran directly supported, 
                        financed, planned, or carried out an act of 
                        terrorism against the United States or a United 
                        States person anywhere in the world.
            ``(4) Additional reports and information.--
                    ``(A) Agency reports.--Following submission of an 
                agreement pursuant to subsection (a) to the appropriate 
                congressional committees, the Department of State, the 
                Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense 
                shall, upon the request of either of those committees, 
                promptly furnish to those committees their views as to 
                whether the safeguards and other controls contained in 
                the agreement with respect to Iran's nuclear program 
                provide an adequate framework to ensure that Iran's 
                activities permitted thereunder will not be inimical to 
                or constitute an unreasonable risk to the common 
                defense and security.
                    ``(B) Provision of information on nuclear 
                initiatives with iran.--The President shall keep the 
                appropriate congressional committees fully and 
                currently informed of any initiative or negotiations 
                with Iran relating Iran's nuclear program, including 
                any new or amended agreement.
            ``(5) Certification.--After the review period provided in 
        subsection (b)(1), the President shall, not less than every 90 
        days--
                    ``(A) determine whether the President is able to 
                certify that--
                            ``(i) Iran is transparently, verifiably, 
                        and fully implementing the agreement, including 
                        all related technical or additional agreements;
                            ``(ii) Iran has not committed a material 
                        breach with respect to the agreement or, if 
                        Iran has committed a material breach, Iran has 
                        cured the material breach;
                            ``(iii) Iran has not taken any action, 
                        including covert action, that could 
                        significantly advance its nuclear weapons 
                        program;
                            ``(iv) Iran has not directly supported or 
                        carried out an act of terrorism against the 
                        United States or a United States person 
                        anywhere in the world; and
                            ``(v) suspension of sanctions related to 
                        Iran pursuant to the agreement is--
                                    ``(I) appropriate and proportionate 
                                to the specific and verifiable measures 
                                taken by Iran with respect to 
                                terminating its illicit nuclear 
                                program; and
                                    ``(II) vital to the national 
                                security interests of the United 
                                States; and
                    ``(B) if the President determines he is able to 
                make the certification described in subparagraph (A), 
                make such certification to the appropriate 
                congressional committees.
    ``(e) Expedited Consideration of Legislation.--
            ``(1) In general.--In the event the President does not 
        submit a certification pursuant to subsection (d)(5) or has 
        determined pursuant to subsection (d)(2) that Iran has 
        materially breached an agreement subject to subsection (a), 
        Congress may initiate within 60 days expedited consideration of 
        qualifying legislation pursuant to this subsection.
            ``(2) Qualifying legislation defined.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the term `qualifying legislation' means only a bill 
        of either House of Congress--
                    ``(A) the title of which is as follows: `A bill 
                reinstating statutory sanctions imposed with respect to 
                Iran.'; and
                    ``(B) the matter after the enacting clause of which 
                is: `Any statutory sanctions imposed with respect to 
                Iran pursuant to ______ that were waived, suspended, 
                reduced, or otherwise relieved pursuant to an agreement 
                submitted pursuant to section 135(a) of the Atomic 
                Energy Act of 1954 are hereby reinstated and any action 
                by the United States Government to facilitate the 
                release of funds or assets to Iran pursuant to such 
                agreement, or provide any further waiver, suspension, 
                reduction, or other relief is hereby prohibited.', with 
                the blank space being filled in with the law or laws 
                under which sanctions are to be reinstated.
            ``(3) Introduction.--During the 60-day period provided for 
        in paragraph (1), qualifying legislation may be introduced--
                    ``(A) in the House of Representatives, by the 
                Speaker (or the Speaker's designee) or the minority 
                leader (or the minority leader's designee); and
                    ``(B) in the Senate, by the majority leader (or the 
                majority leader's designee) or the minority leader (or 
                the minority leader's designee).
            ``(4) Committee referral.--Qualifying legislation 
        introduced in the Senate shall be referred to the Committee on 
        Foreign Relations and in the House of Representatives to the 
        Committee on Foreign Affairs.
            ``(5) Discharge.--If the committee of either House to which 
        qualifying legislation has been referred has not reported such 
        qualifying legislation within 10 session days after the date of 
        referral of such legislation, that committee shall be 
        discharged from further consideration of such legislation and 
        the qualifying legislation shall be placed on the appropriate 
        calendar.
            ``(6) Floor consideration in house of representatives.--
                    ``(A) Proceeding to consideration.--After each 
                committee authorized to consider qualifying legislation 
                reports it to the House of Representatives or has been 
                discharged from its consideration, it shall be in order 
                to move to proceed to consider the qualifying 
                legislation in the House. All points of order against 
                the motion are waived. Such a motion shall not be in 
                order after the House has disposed of a motion to 
                proceed on the qualifying legislation. The previous 
                question shall be considered as ordered on the motion 
                to its adoption without intervening motion. The motion 
                shall not be debatable. A motion to reconsider the vote 
                by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in 
                order.
                    ``(B) Consideration.--The qualifying legislation 
                shall be considered as read. All points of order 
                against the qualifying legislation and against its 
                consideration are waived. The previous question shall 
                be considered as ordered on the qualifying legislation 
                to its passage without intervening motion except 2 
                hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the 
                proponent and an opponent. A motion to reconsider the 
                vote on passage of the qualifying legislation shall not 
                be in order. No amendment to, or motion to recommit, 
                qualifying legislation shall be in order.
                    ``(C) Appeals.--All appeals from the Chair relating 
                to the application of the Rules of the House of 
                Representatives to the procedure relating to the 
                qualifying legislation shall be decided without debate.
            ``(7) Floor consideration in the senate.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the 
                Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any 
                time after the committee authorized to consider 
                qualifying legislation reports it to the Senate or has 
                been discharged from its consideration (even though a 
                previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed 
                to) to move to proceed to the consideration of 
                qualifying legislation, and all points of order against 
                qualifying legislation (and against consideration of 
                the qualifying legislation) are waived. The motion to 
                proceed is not debatable. The motion is not subject to 
                a motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote 
                by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall 
                not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the 
                consideration of the qualifying legislation is agreed 
                to, the qualifying legislation shall remain the 
                unfinished business until disposed of.
                    ``(B) Debate.--Debate on qualifying legislation, 
                and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection 
                therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, 
                which shall be divided equally between the majority and 
                minority leaders or their designees. A motion to 
                further limit debate is in order and not debatable. An 
                amendment to, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to 
                proceed to the consideration of other business, or a 
                motion to recommit the qualifying legislation is not in 
                order.
                    ``(C) Vote on passage.--The vote on passage shall 
                occur immediately following the conclusion of the 
                debate on the qualifying legislation and a single 
                quorum call at the conclusion of the debate, if 
                requested in accordance with the rules of the Senate.
                    ``(D) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals 
                from the decisions of the Chair relating to the 
                application of the rules of the Senate, as the case may 
                be, to the procedure relating to qualifying legislation 
                shall be decided without debate.
                    ``(E) Consideration of veto messages.--Debate in 
                the Senate of any veto message with respect to 
                qualifying legislation, including all debatable motions 
                and appeals in connection with such qualifying 
                legislation, shall be limited to 10 hours, to be 
                equally divided between, and controlled by, the 
                majority leader and the minority leader or their 
                designees.
            ``(8) Rules relating to senate and house of 
        representatives.--
                    ``(A) Coordination with action by other house.--If, 
                before the passage by one House of qualifying 
                legislation of that House, that House receives 
                qualifying legislation from the other House, then the 
                following procedures shall apply:
                            ``(i) The qualifying legislation of the 
                        other House shall not be referred to a 
                        committee.
                            ``(ii) With respect to qualifying 
                        legislation of the House receiving the 
                        legislation--
                                    ``(I) the procedure in that House 
                                shall be the same as if no qualifying 
                                legislation had been received from the 
                                other House; but
                                    ``(II) the vote on passage shall be 
                                on the qualifying legislation of the 
                                other House.
                    ``(B) Treatment of joint resolution of other 
                house.--If one House fails to introduce or consider 
                qualifying legislation under this section, the 
                qualifying legislation of the other House shall be 
                entitled to expedited floor procedures under this 
                section.
                    ``(C) Treatment of companion measures.--If, 
                following passage of the qualifying legislation in the 
                Senate, the Senate then receives a companion measure 
                from the House of Representatives, the companion 
                measure shall not be debatable.
    ``(f) Rules of House of Representatives and Senate.--Subsection (e) 
is enacted by Congress--
            ``(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
        and the House of Representatives, respectively, and as such are 
        deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but 
        applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in 
        that House in the case of legislation described in those 
        sections, and supersede other rules only to the extent that 
        they are inconsistent with such rules; and
            ``(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the 
        procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
        to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that 
        House.
    ``(g) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in the section shall be 
construed as--
            ``(1) modifying, or having any other impact on, the 
        President's authority to negotiate, enter into, or implement 
        appropriate executive agreements, other than the restrictions 
        on implementation of the agreements specifically covered by 
        this Act;
            ``(2) allowing any new waiver, suspension, reduction, or 
        other relief from statutory sanctions with respect to Iran 
        under any provision of law, or allowing the President to 
        refrain from applying any such sanctions pursuant to an 
        agreement described in subsection (a) during the period for 
        review provided in subsection (b)(1);
            ``(3) revoking or terminating any statutory sanctions 
        imposed on Iran; or
            ``(4) authorizing the use of military force against Iran.
    ``(h) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            ``(1) the sanctions regime imposed on Iran by Congress is 
        primarily responsible for bringing Iran to the table to 
        negotiate on its nuclear program;
            ``(2) these negotiations are a critically important matter 
        of national security and foreign policy for the United States 
        and its closest allies; and
            ``(3) it is critically important that Congress have the 
        opportunity to consider and, as appropriate, take action on any 
        agreement affecting the statutory sanctions regime imposed by 
        Congress.
    ``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Agreement and all related materials and annexes.--The 
        term `agreement and all related materials and annexes' means 
        the agreement itself and any additional materials related 
        thereto, including annexes, appendices, codicils, side 
        agreements, implementing materials, documents, and guidance, 
        technical or other understandings, and any related agreements, 
        whether entered into or implemented prior to the agreement or 
        to be entered into or implemented in the future.
            ``(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        `appropriate congressional committees' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 14 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 
        (Public Law 104-172; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note).
            ``(3) Iranian financial institution.--The term `Iranian 
        financial institution' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 104A(d) of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, 
        Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 
        8513b(d)).
            ``(4) Joint plan of action.--The term `Joint Plan of 
        Action' means the Joint Plan of Action, signed at Geneva 
        November 24, 2013, by Iran and by France, Germany, the Russian 
        Federation, the People's Republic of China, the United Kingdom, 
        and the United States, and all implementing materials and 
        agreements related to the Joint Plan of Action, including the 
        technical understandings reached on January 12, 2014, the 
        extension thereto agreed to on July 18, 2014, the extension 
        agreed to on November 24, 2014, and any extension that is 
        agreed to on or after the date of the enactment of the Iran 
        Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015.
            ``(5) Material breach.--The term `material breach' means, 
        with respect to an agreement described in subsection (a), any 
        breach of the agreement that substantially--
                    ``(A) benefits Iran's nuclear program;
                    ``(B) decreases the amount of time required by Iran 
                to achieve a nuclear weapon; or
                    ``(C) deviates from or undermines the purposes of 
                such agreement.
            ``(6) Noncompliance defined.--The term `noncompliance' 
        means any departure from the terms of an agreement described in 
        subsection (a) that is not a material breach.
            ``(7) P5+1 countries.--The term `P5+1 countries' means the 
        United States, France, the Russian Federation, the People's 
        Republic of China, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
            ``(8) United states person.--The term `United States 
        person' has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the 
        Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment 
        Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8511).''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall become effective 1 day after enactment.
                                                        Calendar No. 27

114th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                 S. 625

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

    To provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements 
      relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             March 4, 2015

            Read the second time and placed on the calendar