[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 21, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REGARDING THE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS TO PREVENT IRAN FROM ACQUIRING A 
                             NUCLEAR WEAPON

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                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 21, 2015

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I stand to commend the efforts of 
President Obama and our P5+1 partners to achieve a strong, verifiable 
agreement to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
  The economic sanctions imposed through joint action from the Congress 
and the president, combined with the sanctions imposed by our 
international partners, have succeeded in bringing Iran to the 
negotiating table. We must maintain the unity that has succeeded in 
keeping the pressure on Iran. That unity helped produce an interim 
agreement last November that, among other things, effectively 
eliminated Iran's stockpile of more highly enriched nuclear material. 
Even the early critics of the interim agreement have now acknowledged 
that it was a useful step.
  We now have The Framework for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on 
Iran's Nuclear Program that represents another important step toward 
the goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. As the 
Administration has acknowledged, many important details remain to be 
negotiated in the coming months. I will be carefully monitoring and 
reviewing the ongoing negotiations to determine whether the final 
product meets the objectives we have established. As these negotiations 
proceed, it is important that Congress refrain from taking actions that 
could weaken our negotiating position and undermine the multi-lateral 
sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table.
  There is a very important role for Congress in this process. Congress 
will review this agreement and have the opportunity to act. Moreover, 
any repeal of the sanctions legislation will require congressional 
action. As negotiations continue, I look forward to working with the 
president and my congressional colleagues to prevent Iran from 
obtaining a nuclear weapon. I agree with President Obama that it would 
be best if we can achieve that objective by negotiating a verifiable 
agreement.

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