[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 40 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 40

  Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding efforts by the United 
  States and others to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 26, 2015

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
Tester, Mr. Carper, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Franken, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Merkley, 
and Mr. King) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding efforts by the United 
  States and others to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Whereas any acquisition by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran of a 
        nuclear weapon would pose a grave threat to international peace and 
        stability and the national security of the United States and United 
        States allies, including Israel;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a leading state 
        sponsor of terrorism, continues to materially support the regime of 
        Bashar al-Assad, and is responsible for continuing and gross violations 
        of the human rights of the people of Iran;
Whereas, since 2006, the United Nations Security Council has adopted multiple 
        resolutions demanding an end to the Government of the Islamic Republic 
        of Iran's illicit nuclear activities and Iran's full cooperation with 
        the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding its nuclear 
        program and international commitments;
Whereas the United States Government has led the international community in 
        imposing costly economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, 
        which have contributed to the decision of the Government of the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran to return to the negotiating table and provided 
        leverage to press Iran's leaders to agree to end Iran's illicit nuclear 
        activities;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran entered the present 
        negotiation with the five permanent Member States of the United Nations 
        Security Council, plus Germany (the ``P5+1''), having previously 
        violated its commitments under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of 
        Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968, 
        and not complied with multiple United Nations Security Council 
        Resolutions;
Whereas the Joint Plan of Action, also known as the interim agreement, was 
        entered into by the P5+1 and Iran on November 24, 2013, in order to 
        facilitate good faith negotiations toward a final comprehensive 
        agreement that prevents Iran from developing a nuclear weapon;
Whereas, under the Joint Plan of Action, the Government of the Islamic Republic 
        of Iran has ceased enrichment of near-20 percent uranium gas, eliminated 
        its stockpile of near-20 percent uranium gas, halted significant 
        construction activities at the Arak nuclear reactor, halted the 
        installation of additional centrifuges and not operated its most 
        advanced centrifuges to accumulate enriched uranium, agreed to more 
        intrusive international inspections of its enrichment sites and provided 
        managed access to its centrifuge assembly workshops, centrifuge rotor 
        production workshops and storage facilities, and uranium mines and 
        mills;
Whereas the International Atomic Energy Agency concluded in a January 20, 2015, 
        report that Iran has not enriched uranium above 5 percent at any of its 
        declared facilities, has not made ``any further advances'' to its 
        activities at the Natanz and Fordow fuel enrichment plants or the Arak 
        reactor, and has continued to provide managed access to uranium mines 
        and mills, daily access to the enrichment facilities at Natanz and 
        Fordow, and managed access to centrifuge assembly workshops, rotor 
        production workshops, and storage facilities;
Whereas the P5+1 and Iran have extended the terms of the Joint Plan of Action 
        and have set a target date for reaching a political framework agreement 
        by the end of March 2015 and a deadline of July 1, 2015, to reach a 
        final comprehensive agreement, including relevant technical annexes;
Whereas, in a public speech on January 12, 2015, United States Permanent 
        Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power stated that, 
        ``increasing sanctions would dramatically undermine our efforts to reach 
        this shared goal . . . of getting Iran to give up its nuclear program'';
Whereas, during a press conference on January 16, 2015, Prime Minister David 
        Cameron stated that, ``it's the opinion of the United Kingdom that 
        further sanctions [against Iran] or further threat of sanctions at this 
        point won't actually help to bring the talks to a successful conclusion 
        and they could fracture the international unity that there's been, which 
        has been so valuable in presenting a united front to Iran'';
Whereas, during a press conference on January 16, 2015, President Barack Obama 
        stated, ``On Iran, we remain absolutely committed to ensuring that Iran 
        cannot develop a nuclear weapon. The best way to achieve that now is to 
        create the space for negotiations to succeed. We should not impose 
        further sanctions now; that would be counterproductive and it could put 
        at risk the valuable international unity that has been so crucial to our 
        approach.'';
Whereas any final comprehensive agreement with the Government of the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran must prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon in 
        any manner;
Whereas any final comprehensive agreement with the Government of the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran must allow for the prompt reimposition of sanctions if 
        the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran fails to comply with the 
        final comprehensive agreement; and
Whereas Congress retains the sole authority to repeal statutory sanctions 
        against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Now, therefore, 
        be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the Senate--
            (1) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States 
        that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will not be 
        allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that all instruments of 
        United States power and influence must remain on the table to 
        prevent this outcome;
            (2) supports the ongoing diplomatic efforts of the United 
        States Government and the members of the P5+1 countries to 
        reach a comprehensive agreement with Iran that prevents Iran 
        from acquiring a nuclear weapon;
            (3) affirms that support for the prompt reimposition of 
        suspended sanctions as well as the imposition of additional 
        sanctions against Iran would be strong and widespread in the 
        Senate in the event--
                    (A) negotiations fail to achieve a comprehensive 
                agreement;
                    (B) Iran violates the Joint Plan of Action; or
                    (C) Iran violates any final comprehensive agreement 
                on its nuclear program;
            (4) agrees that future new sanctions against Iran may 
        include measures further targeting Iran's energy, financial, 
        and strategic economic sectors, and its foreign currency 
        transactions, as well as the designation of additional 
        Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran officials linked to 
        its illicit nuclear program and sanctions evasion; and
            (5) supports the universal rights and democratic 
        aspirations of the people of Iran.
                                 <all>