[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 102 (Thursday, June 15, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3536-S3537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



            Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Bill

  Mr. President, I also want to take a few minutes today to discuss the 
national security bill the Senate just passed, the Countering Iran's 
Destabilizing Activities Act.
  I hardly need to recite the long list of Iranian activities that make 
this country a clear and present danger to peace and stability in the 
Middle East and outside it. Iran remains the world's leading state 
sponsor of terrorism. It engages in systematic human rights abuses from 
torture to the targeting of religious minorities. Of course, Iran has 
long provided critical support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who 
is perhaps most notable for the repeated use of chemical weapons on his 
own people. The fact that Assad still remains in power after the long 
list of atrocities his regime has committed is due in no small part to 
the support that Iran has provided.

[[Page S3537]]

  In addition to propping up Assad's reign of terror, Iran also 
provides support to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Secretary of Defense 
James Mattis recently noted: ``We see Iranian-supplied missiles being 
fired by the Houthis into Saudi Arabia.''
  Well, providing these missiles puts Iran in violation of at least two 
U.N. Security Council resolutions--not that Iran appears to care. In 
fact, violating U.N. Security Council resolutions and international law 
is common practice for the Iranian Government, whether it involves 
supplying missiles to the Houthis or increasing Iran's own stockpiles.
  When it is not violating the letter of the law, Iran is also happy to 
violate the spirit of international agreements. After the misguided 
Iran deal went into effect, Iran resumed ballistic missile testing, 
even though the U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing the nuclear 
deal called upon Iran not to engage in these activities.
  Most recently, Iran unsuccessfully tested a submarine missile in the 
Strait of Hormuz in May, following ground-based missile testing in 
January and March. Many of those missiles have a range to reach 
targets, not only throughout the Middle East but outside it.
  Under the last administration, Iranian belligerence was too often 
ignored or even rewarded. That needs to end now. We cannot afford to 
let Iran continue to destabilize the Middle East. We need to make it 
clear that the United States and its new leadership will not tolerate 
Iranian aggression and the terrible human suffering that has resulted.
  We need to assure our allies--especially Israel, our closest and most 
reliable ally in the Middle East--that we are committed to standing 
with them against Iranian threats. The Countering Iran's Destabilizing 
Activities Act will send a clear signal to Iran that the United States 
and its new leadership are serious about cracking down on Iranian 
misconduct.
  This bill will sanction individuals involved in Iran's ballistic 
missile program or any other program designed to deliver weapons of 
mass destruction. It will sanction individuals who contribute to 
Iranian violations of arms embargoes. It will allow the President to 
impose sanctions on individuals who have perpetrated human rights 
violations against human rights crusaders in Iran. Perhaps most 
importantly, this legislation identifies and will hold accountable the 
entire Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, not just the Quds 
Force, for its role in implementing Iran's destabilizing agenda.
  There is no easy solution to the unrest and violence in the Middle 
East, but this bill offers one commonsense step forward.
  Yesterday the Senate passed an amendment to this bill imposing 
additional sanctions against another country stirring up unrest in the 
Middle East, and that is Russia. Russia's increasing boldness on the 
international stage is a natural consequence of the Obama 
administration's passive foreign policy. From annexing Crimea to 
supporting the murderous Assad regime in Syria, to meddling in 
elections, we cannot allow this level of Russian aggression to go 
unchallenged.
  The Russia sanctions amendment codifies and strengthens existing 
Russia sanctions and imposes a number of new ones. Human rights 
abusers, individuals supplying weapons to Assad's regime, hackers 
acting on behalf of the Russian Government, and Russians involved in 
corruption are all sanctioned in this amendment.
  I am grateful to Senators Corker and Crapo, the chairman of the 
Foreign Relations Committee and the chairman of the Banking Committee, 
for all the work they have done on this bill and on the Russia 
sanctions amendment. It was a bipartisan bill. Our colleagues on the 
other side, the Senator from Maryland and others, were involved in 
crafting this legislation, and it is a demonstration that this body can 
come together and do consequential things. These are two big national 
security and foreign policy measures that we have moved today.
  There have to be consequences for Iranian and Russian aggression, and 
this legislation makes sure there will be. I am pleased that it moved 
today with largely bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate because it 
will send a clear message.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maryland.