[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 12 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S468-S469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 40--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
EFFORTS BY THE UNITED STATES AND OTHERS TO PREVENT IRAN FROM DEVELOPING 
                            A NUCLEAR WEAPON

  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:

                               S. Res. 40

       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'';

[[Page S469]]

       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.

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