[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 29 (Thursday, February 28, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1035-S1036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 65--STRONGLY SUPPORTING THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF 
   UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS ON IRAN AND URGING THE 
     PRESIDENT TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT OF SANCTIONS 
                              LEGISLATION

  Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Schumer, Mr. 
Cornyn, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Casey, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Gillibrand, 
Mr. Kirk, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cardin, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
Begich, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Brown, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Portman, Mr. Manchin, and 
Mr. Lautenberg) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                               S. Res. 65

       Whereas, on May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed 
     the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of 
     Israel;
       Whereas, on March 28, 1949, the United States Government 
     recognized the establishment of the new State of Israel and 
     established full diplomatic relations;
       Whereas, since its establishment nearly 65 years ago, the 
     modern State of Israel has rebuilt a nation, forged a new and 
     dynamic democratic society, and created a thriving economic, 
     political, cultural, and intellectual life despite the heavy 
     costs of war, terrorism, and unjustified diplomatic and 
     economic boycotts against the people of Israel;
       Whereas the people of Israel have established a vibrant, 
     pluralistic, democratic political system, including freedom 
     of speech, association, and religion; a vigorously free 
     press; free, fair, and open elections; the rule of law; a 
     fully independent judiciary; and other democratic principles 
     and practices;
       Whereas, since the 1979 revolution in Iran, the leaders of 
     the Islamic Republic of Iran have repeatedly made threats 
     against the existence of the State of Israel and sponsored 
     acts of terrorism and violence against its citizens;
       Whereas, on October 27, 2005, President of Iran Mahmoud 
     Ahmadinejad called for a world without America and Zionism;
       Whereas, in February 2012, Supreme Leader of Iran Ali 
     Khamenei said of Israel, ``The Zionist regime is a true 
     cancer tumor on this region that should be cut off. And it 
     definitely will be cut off.'';
       Whereas, in August 2012, Supreme Leader Khamenei said of 
     Israel, ``This bogus and fake Zionist outgrowth will 
     disappear off the landscape of geography.'';
       Whereas, in August 2012, President Ahmadinejad said that 
     ``in the new Middle East . . . there will be no trace of the 
     American presence and the Zionists'';
       Whereas the Department of State has designated the Islamic 
     Republic of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984 
     and has characterized the Islamic Republic of Iran as the 
     ``most active state sponsor of terrorism'' in the world;
       Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has 
     provided weapons, training, funding, and direction to 
     terrorist groups, including Hamas, Hizballah, and Shiite 
     militias in Iraq that are responsible for the murder of 
     hundreds of United States service members and innocent 
     civilians;
       Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has 
     provided weapons, training, and funding to the regime of 
     Bashar al Assad that has been used to suppress and murder its 
     own people;
       Whereas, since at least the late 1980s, the Government of 
     the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in a sustained and 
     well-documented pattern of illicit and deceptive activities 
     to acquire a nuclear weapons capability;
       Whereas, since September 2005, the Board of Governors of 
     the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has found the 
     Islamic Republic of Iran to be in non-compliance with its 
     safeguards agreement with the IAEA, which Iran is obligated 
     to undertake as a non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the 
     Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at 
     Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968, and entered into 
     force March 5, 1970 (NPT);
       Whereas the United Nations Security Council has adopted 
     multiple resolutions since 2006 demanding of the Government 
     of the Islamic Republic of Iran its full and sustained 
     suspension of all uranium enrichment-related and reprocessing 
     activities and its full cooperation with the IAEA on all 
     outstanding issues related to its nuclear activities, 
     particularly those concerning the possible military 
     dimensions of its nuclear program;
       Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has 
     refused to comply with United Nations Security Council 
     resolutions or to fully cooperate with the IAEA;
       Whereas, in November 2011, the IAEA Director General issued 
     a report that documented ``serious concerns regarding 
     possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme,'' 
     and affirmed that information available to the IAEA indicates 
     that ``Iran has carried out activities relevant to the 
     development of a nuclear explosive device'' and that some 
     activities may be ongoing;
       Whereas the Government of Iran stands in violation of the 
     Universal Declaration of Human Rights for denying its 
     citizens basic freedoms, including the freedoms of 
     expression, religion, peaceful assembly and movement, and for 
     flagrantly abusing the rights of minorities and women;
       Whereas in his State of the Union Address on January 24, 
     2012, President Barack Obama stated, ``Let there be no doubt: 
     America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear 
     weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve 
     that goal.'';
       Whereas Congress has passed and the President has signed 
     into law legislation imposing significant economic and 
     diplomatic sanctions on Iran to encourage the Government of 
     Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and end its 
     support for terrorism;
       Whereas these sanctions, while having significant effect, 
     have yet to persuade Iran to abandon its illicit pursuits and 
     comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions;
       Whereas more stringent enforcement of sanctions 
     legislation, including elements targeting oil exports and 
     access to foreign exchange, could still lead the Government 
     of Iran to change course;
       Whereas, in his State of the Union Address on February 12, 
     2013, President Obama reiterated, ``The leaders of Iran must 
     recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution, 
     because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet 
     their obligations. And we will do what is necessary to 
     prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon.'';
       Whereas, on March 4, 2012, President Obama stated, ``Iran's 
     leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of 
     containment; I have a policy to prevent Iran from obtaining a 
     nuclear weapon.'';
       Whereas, on October 22, 2012, President Obama said of Iran, 
     ``The clock is ticking. . . And we're going to make sure that 
     if they do not meet the demands of the international 
     community, then we are going to take all options necessary to 
     make sure they don't have a nuclear weapon.'';
       Whereas, on May 19, 2011, President Obama stated, ``Every 
     state has the right to self-defense, and Israel must be able 
     to defend itself, by itself, against any threat.'';
       Whereas, on September 21, 2011, President Obama stated, 
     ``America's commitment to Israel's security is unshakeable. 
     Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring.'';
       Whereas, on March 4, 2012, President Obama stated, ``And 
     whenever an effort is made to delegitimize the state of 
     Israel, my administration has opposed them. So there should 
     not be a shred of doubt by now: when the chips are down, I 
     have Israel's back.'';
       Whereas, on October 22, 2012, President Obama stated, 
     ``Israel is a true friend. And if Israel is attacked, America 
     will stand with Israel. I've made that clear throughout my 
     presidency . . . I will stand with Israel if they are 
     attacked.'';
       Whereas, in December 2012, 74 United States Senators wrote 
     to President Obama ``As you begin your second term as 
     President, we ask you to reiterate your readiness to take 
     military action against Iran if it continues its efforts to 
     acquire a nuclear weapon. In addition, we urge you to work 
     with our European and Middle Eastern allies to demonstrate to 
     the Iranians that a credible and capable multilateral 
     coalition exists that would support a military strike if, in 
     the end, this is unfortunately necessary.''; and
       Whereas the United States-Israel Enhanced Security 
     Cooperation Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-150) stated that it 
     is United States policy to support Israel's inherent right to 
     self-defense: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       Congress--
       (1) reaffirms the special bonds of friendship and 
     cooperation that have existed between the United States and 
     the State of Israel for more than sixty years and that enjoy 
     overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and among the 
     people of the United States;
       (2) strongly supports the close military, intelligence, and 
     security cooperation that President Obama has pursued with 
     Israel and urges this cooperation to continue and deepen;
       (3) deplores and condemns, in the strongest possible terms, 
     the reprehensible statements and policies of the leaders of 
     the Islamic Republic of Iran threatening the security and 
     existence of Israel;
       (4) recognizes the tremendous threat posed to the United 
     States, the West, and Israel by the Government of Iran's 
     continuing pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability;
       (5) reiterates that the policy of the United States is to 
     prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon capability and 
     to take such action as may be necessary to implement this 
     policy;
       (6) reaffirms its strong support for the full 
     implementation of United States and international sanctions 
     on Iran and urges the President to continue and strengthen 
     enforcement of sanctions legislation;
       (7) declares that the United States has a vital national 
     interest in, and unbreakable commitment to, ensuring the 
     existence, survival, and security of the State of Israel, and 
     reaffirms United States support for Israel's right to self-
     defense; and
       (8) urges that, if the Government of Israel is compelled to 
     take military action in self-defense, the United States 
     Government

[[Page S1036]]

     should stand with Israel and provide diplomatic, military, 
     and economic support to the Government of Israel in its 
     defense of its territory, people, and existence.

     SEC. 2. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.

       Nothing in this resolution shall be construed as an 
     authorization for the use of force or a declaration of war.

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