[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 106 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H4966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               A BAD DEAL WITH IRAN IS WORSE THAN NO DEAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, in March, before a joint meeting of 
Congress, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, warned 
``history has placed us at a fateful crossroads.''
  As a world leader at the forefront of this crossroad, I believe 
America has a responsibility to prevent a nuclear Iran. An Iran with 
nuclear weapons capabilities would further exacerbate and destabilize 
the region and would certainly inspire an arms race among other 
nonnuclear nations.
  The Obama administration's foreign policy missteps do not inspire 
confidence that the current negotiations will conclude any differently. 
After numerous delays, negotiations are veering further away from any 
type of reasonable agreement that would contain Iran's nuclear 
ambitions.
  I do not trust this administration as it approaches the reversal of a 
half century of nuclear nonproliferation policy. As Chairman Royce 
stated over the weekend: ``The Obama administration's fundamental 
misread of the Iranian regime is part of what makes this potential 
agreement so dangerous to our national security.''
  The sanctions relief numbers that are being reported now are 
staggering and would directly undercut years of democratic success. 
Sanctions are a vital tool when working to keep our citizens and allies 
out of harm's way.
  In dealing with an aggressive state sponsor of terror, there should 
be no daylight between the position of Republicans and Democrats in 
Congress, nor Congress with the President or the United States with our 
allies.
  Civilized nations must stand united against the destructive output 
from rogue regimes like Iran. As it stands now, the reported details of 
the deal will not dismantle the nuclear ambitions of the world's 
leading state sponsor of terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, if the past is any indication of the future, we can 
expect that Iran will continue to employ its stonewalling tactics, 
blocking any real transparency or inspections of its nuclear 
facilities.
  Why isn't Iran answering questions asked 4 years ago by the 
International Atomic Energy Agency about their past activities? How can 
we trust a country that won't answer simple questions or allow 
scientists to be interviewed? How can we set up a sanctions relief 
system that is based on trust and verification if the country has 
proven objectively incapable of trust and transparency?
  We certainly cannot continue to overlook Iranian compliance failures 
as reported this week in The Washington Post, nor come anywhere close 
to lifting its successfully firm arms embargo. These negotiations will 
have long-term implications on every country on this planet.
  I believe the United States has a responsibility to stand with Israel 
and other allies across the globe now more than ever. We must ensure 
our allies know they do not stand alone. With the current negotiations 
extended once again, it appears that the administration simply wants to 
get any agreement.
  I believe it is a legacy item for the President, Mr. Speaker. This 
administration's willingness to ignore Iran's troublesome behavior 
throughout negotiations does not inspire confidence.
  President Obama promised 7 years ago that he would not allow Iran to 
develop a nuclear weapon. He is failing to keep that promise to the 
American people and the rest of the world, in my opinion.
  The stakes are too high. Negotiations are reaching a critical moment 
as we speak here today. This administration needs to understand one 
indisputable truth: a bad deal is worse than no deal.

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