[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 136 (Friday, October 4, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6235-H6236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                KEEPING TOUGH IRANIAN SANCTIONS IN PLACE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from

[[Page H6236]]

California (Mr. Sherman) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SHERMAN. I have checked with the Parliamentarian and he has 
informed me that it is in order to give a bipartisan speech, even 
today. So I have a speech that I think most Members, on both sides of 
the aisle, can agree with. Mostly.
  I have been here 17 years. I have been working every day for the 
toughest Iranian sanctions. This House has passed bill after bill. The 
Senate passed about half of them. And for over a decade, several 
administrations have basically refused to enforce the Iran sanctions 
that passed both Houses of Congress.
  Then about three years ago, this Administration started enforcing our 
sanctions laws. They unleashed the Treasury Department's Office of 
Terrorist Financing and Intelligence, (TFI) and its Office of Foreign 
Asset control, (OFAC). TFI and OFAC are doing a great job. Yes, 
something the Federal Government is doing is working.
  Iran's supreme leader was forced to allow one of his own insiders to 
run on a reform platform. And the Iranian people voted for the most 
reform they were allowed to vote for. It is clear that Iran wants out 
of these sanctions and is willing to surrender critical parts of its 
nuclear weapons program, but only if we are very tough in sanctions 
negotiations.
  Let us remember why there is nothing more essential than preventing 
Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran's supreme leader, on his 
Web site today, says the Holocaust is a myth and wants to wipe Israel 
off the face of the Earth. Iranian troops are in Syria backing Assad. 
Iran is the number one state sponsor of terrorism.
  Now, imagine terrorism with impunity. There is nothing more essential 
than stopping Iran's nuclear program. In order to do that, we need more 
sanctions. Why? Because every day Iran develops ways to get around the 
existing sanctions program. That is why we need to do a bit more as 
they are undoing what we already have in place.
  But what is actually happening? TFI and OFAC are basically shut down, 
90 percent furloughed. Seventy percent of our Intel Community's 
civilian employees are on furlough.
  So what needs to happen? First, restaff TFI and OFAC. These are 
essential government functions. Second, pass a clean CR because all 
aspects of our foreign policy, our national security operations, our 
intel operations are critical to keeping Americans safe from terrorism 
and stopping the Iranian nuclear program. And just as critical is our 
credibility worldwide. So it is time to drop demands that everyone 
knows the Senate and the White House will never accept, and pass a 
clean CR.
  Third, it is time for the executive branch to use the statutory 
authority we have already given them. For example, they have designated 
about two dozen Iranian banks, cutting them off from the international 
system. It is time for them to designate all Iranian banks.
  Fourth, the Senate needs to pass a bill that passed on this floor 
with 400 votes last July, The Nuclear Iran Prevention Act.
  Staff the agencies, pass a clean CR, designate all the Iranian banks, 
pass and implement The Nuclear Iran Prevention Act; and we may just see 
a world safe from the Iranian nuclear weapons program.

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