[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 148 (Wednesday, October 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IRAN SANCTIONS ENABLING ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 13, 2009

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Iran 
Sanctions Enabling Act, which helps State and local governments do 
their part to divest from Iran.
  The Iranian regime represents a threat to us, to Israel, and to our 
allies throughout the Middle East and beyond. Their president has 
threatened to destroy Israel and has repeatedly denied the Holocaust. 
Iran's leaders have sought to destabilize the entire Middle East and 
are sparking an arms race in that region. In the last few weeks, we 
have seen just how far the Iranians are willing to go to conceal their 
weapons programs, and only time will tell how many more hidden nuclear 
sites we will find there.
  With this bill today, we help our States and local governments to 
play a role in the international effort to halt Iran's march toward 
nuclear weapons. As is so often the case, they have not waited for us 
to act. I am proud that, in June of this year, my home State of Nevada 
passed a law to help make sure our State Public Employee Retirement 
System does not invest in Iran, or in companies that do a large amount 
of business with Iran. Steps like this will help to show just how 
determined we are--on every level--to stopping Iran's nuclear threat.
  We must do everything we can to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear 
weapons. The UN Security Council must act now, and place further 
sanctions on Iran. UN member states must do their part to enforce the 
already-existing sanctions. We in Congress will soon pass our own 
further sanctions, and I hope we will continue to give our government 
the tools it needs to further tighten the screws on Iran's financial 
sector. We must use every tool available to us before it is too late.
  I urge support for this bill.

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