[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 64 (Monday, April 15, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2380-H2382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IRAN SANCTIONS ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2023

  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6015) to require the President to prevent the abuse of 
financial sanctions exemptions by Iran, and for other purposes, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6015

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Iran Sanctions 
     Accountability Act of 2023''.

     SEC. 2. REGULATIONS REQUIRED.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, the President shall issue 
     regulations to ensure that each transaction described under 
     section 1244(e) or 1247(c) of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (22 U.S.C. 8803(e) or 
     8806(c)) or section 1245(d)(2) of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C. 
     8513a(d)(2)) does not facilitate, directly or indirectly--
       (1) support for acts of international terrorism; or
       (2) the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
       (b) Report.--Beginning on the date that is 1 year after the 
     date on which the President issues regulations pursuant to 
     subsection (a), and every 2 years thereafter for 6 years, the 
     President shall submit to the Congress a report that 
     evaluates the efficacy of the regulations issued by the 
     President pursuant to subsection (a).
       (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in section 1244(e) or 
     1247(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
     Year 2013 (22 U.S.C. 8803(e) or 8806(c)) or section 
     1245(d)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8513a(d)(2)) may be construed to 
     prohibit the imposition of sanctions with respect to a 
     transaction if the President finds, consistent with the 
     regulations issued pursuant to subsection (a), that such 
     transaction would facilitate, directly or indirectly--
       (1) support for acts of international terrorism; or
       (2) the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
       (d) Voice and Vote.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall 
     instruct the United States Executive Director at the World 
     Bank to use the voice and vote of the United States to oppose 
     the provision of financial assistance to the government of 
     the Islamic Republic of Iran.
       (2) Sunset.--This subsection shall have no force or effect 
     on the date that is the earlier of--
       (A) the date that is 7 years after the date of the 
     enactment of this section;
       (B) the date that is 30 days after the date that the 
     Secretary of the Treasury reports to Congress that reasonable 
     grounds do not exist for concluding that the Islamic Republic 
     of Iran is a jurisdiction of primary money laundering 
     concern; or
       (C) the date that is 30 days after the date that the 
     President finds and reports to the Congress that the 
     government of Iran has ceased to provide support for acts of 
     international terrorism.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Cleaver) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from North Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6015, the Iran Sanctions 
Accountability Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Luetkemeyer). Mr. Luetkemeyer is the chair of the National Security, 
Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions Subcommittee 
of the Financial Services Committee but could not be here today to 
articulate his support and the bill that he has constructed.
  The United States' sanctions regime for Iran is designed to deprive 
Tehran of the resources it needs to pursue international terrorism, 
weapons of mass destruction, and other objects that undermine our 
national security and global stability.
  As with other sanctions programs, our measures against Iran include 
commonsense exemptions for humanitarian aid and humanitarian trade. To 
be clear, it is the country's dictatorship that we seek to punish, not 
the ordinary Iranian folks forced to suffer under the ayatollahs. At 
the same time, we must ensure that humanitarian trade involving Iran 
isn't misused for illicit purposes. There is bipartisan support here 
for that.
  For example, last September, the Biden administration issued a waiver 
authorizing the transfer of $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds. While 
the President offered assurances that proceeds could only be used for 
humanitarian purchases, Members on both sides of the aisle have 
questioned whether this would actually be the case. These concerns are 
understandable, and Mr. Luetkemeyer's legislation addresses that 
concern head-on.
  Under this bill, the President will be required to issue regulations 
ensuring that humanitarian funds are not diverted to support terrorism 
or weapons proliferation. This may include an array of conditions, 
including specific transaction limits, enhanced due diligence 
procedures, and transparency requirements for Iranian counterparties.
  Additionally, this bill would require these regulations to be 
evaluated. The President will have to report to Congress on their 
effectiveness in preventing funds from facilitating Iran's illicit 
activities.
  I applaud Mr. Luetkemeyer's thoughtful approach to this legislation, 
which is based on the idea that well-designed sanctions rely on well-
designed exceptions.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill received unanimous support in the Financial 
Services Committee. I look forward to its passage today. I urge my 
colleagues to support H.R. 6015, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                   Washington, DC, April 14, 2024.
     Hon. Michael McCaul,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McCaul: Thank you for agreeing to be 
     discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6015, the Iran 
     Sanctions Accountability Act of 2023, so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House Floor. I

[[Page H2381]]

     agree that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 6015 at this 
     time, you do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject 
     matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that you 
     will be appropriately consulted and involved on this or 
     similar legislation as it moves forward.
       As discussed, I will seek to place a copy of our exchange 
     of letters on this bill in the Congressional Record during 
     floor consideration thereof.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Patrick McHenry,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, April 14, 2024.
     Hon. Patrick McHenry,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McHenry: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Foreign Affairs Committee on H.R. 6015, the Iran Sanctions 
     Accountability Act of 2023. I agree that the Foreign Affairs 
     Committee may be discharged from further consideration so 
     that the measure may proceed expeditiously to the House 
     floor, subject to the understanding that this does not in any 
     way diminish or alter the primary jurisdiction of the Foreign 
     Affairs Committee over this measure, or affect the 
     committee's jurisdictional prerogatives on similar 
     legislation in the future.
       I respectfully request that our letters on this bill be 
     placed into the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this 
     legislation and look forward to continuing to work together 
     as this measure moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                Michael T. McCaul,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                   Washington, DC, April 14, 2024.
     Hon. Jason Smith,
     Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Smith: Thank you for agreeing to be 
     discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6015, the Iran 
     Sanctions Accountability Act of 2023, so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor. I agree that by foregoing 
     consideration of H.R. 6015 at this time, you do not waive any 
     jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or 
     similar legislation, and that you will be appropriately 
     consulted and involved on this or similar legislation as it 
     moves forward.
       As discussed, I will seek to place a copy of our exchange 
     of letters on this bill in the Congressional Record during 
     floor consideration thereof.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Patrick McHenry,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Ways and Means,

                                   Washington, DC, April 15, 2024.
     Hon. Patrick McHenry,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McHenry: I am writing with respect to H.R. 
     6015, the ``Iran Sanctions Accountability Act of 2023.'' As 
     you noted, the Committee on Ways and Means was granted an 
     additional referral on this bill. I agree to forego action on 
     this bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House 
     floor for consideration.
       The Committee on Ways and Means takes this action with the 
     mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction 
     over the subject matter contained in this or similar 
     legislation, and the Committee will be appropriately 
     consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation 
     moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues 
     that fall within our jurisdiction. The Committee also 
     reserves the right to seek appointment of an appropriate 
     number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving 
     this or similar legislation, and requests your support for 
     such request.
       Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter 
     confirming this understanding and would ask that a copy of 
     our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of H.R. 6015.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Jason Smith,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                              Committee on Financial Services,

                                   Washington, DC, April 14, 2024.
     Hon. James Comer,
     Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Accountability,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Comer: Thank you for agreeing to be 
     discharged from further consideration of H.R. 6015, the Iran 
     Sanctions Accountability Act of 2023, so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House Floor. I agree that by foregoing 
     consideration of H.R. 6015 at this time, you do not waive any 
     jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or 
     similar legislation, and that you will be appropriately 
     consulted and involved on this or similar legislation as it 
     moves forward.
       As discussed, I will seek to place a copy of our exchange 
     of letters on this bill in the Congressional Record during 
     floor consideration thereof.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Patrick McHenry,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and 
           Accountability,
                                   Washington, DC, April 15, 2024.
     Hon. Patrick McHenry,
     Chairman, Committee on Financial Services,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman McHenry: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Committee on Oversight and Accountability. The Committee on 
     Oversight and Accountability agrees to be discharged from 
     further consideration of H.R. 6015, the Iran Sanctions 
     Accountability Act of 2023, so that it may proceed 
     expeditiously to the House floor.
       I agree that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 6015 at 
     this time, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability does 
     not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained 
     in this or similar legislation. The Committee on Oversight 
     and Accountability should be appropriately consulted and 
     involved on this or similar legislation as it moves forward. 
     I support your effort to represent the House Committee on 
     Oversight and Accountability on the conference committee if a 
     conference on the bill becomes necessary.
       As discussed, I appreciate your inclusion of a copy of our 
     exchange of letters on this bill in the bill report filed by 
     the Committee on Financial Services and in the Congressional 
     Record during House floor consideration thereof. I appreciate 
     your cooperation regarding this bill and look forward to 
     future opportunities to work together on matters of shared 
     jurisdiction.
           Sincerely,

                                                  James Comer,

                                  Chairman, Committee on Oversight
                                               and Accountability.

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6015, the Iran Sanctions 
Accountability Act of 2023 sponsored by Representative Luetkemeyer from 
the great State of Missouri, of which Kansas City is a part, and it 
also houses the Chiefs Kingdom.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill would require the President to issue 
regulations that ensure that humanitarian waivers to economic and trade 
sanctions on Iran do not facilitate sanctions evasion, acts of 
international terrorism, or the proliferation of weapons of mass 
destruction.
  Currently, in order for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and 
others who avail themselves of the license and waiver processes 
available under comprehensive sanctions regimes, they must undertake 
extensive efforts to prevent the diversion of goods, services, and 
funds to the targets of sanctions. Humanitarian groups have shared 
details with the Financial Services Committee about their stringent 
process for preventing sanction evasion and terror financing. These 
standards are imposed internally by the NGOs themselves, for example, 
through their anticorruption policies, and also externally as seen in 
the U.S. Government contracting requirements or the anti-money 
laundering and sanctions compliance measures imposed by their 
corresponding banking partners.
  This bill goes a step further, by requiring the Office of Foreign 
Assets Control, OFAC, to develop a set of formal rules by which 
humanitarian exceptions to sanctions will not facilitate, directly or 
indirectly, support sanctions evasion, acts of international terrorism, 
or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
  This bill also requires Treasury to instruct the U.S. Director at the 
World Bank to formally oppose the provision of financial assistance to 
the Government of Iran. I would note that the U.S. already opposes any 
financial assistance to the Government of Iran.
  Notably, Republicans are moving this bill at the same time that they 
are trying to jam through the House a much more toxic version of this 
bill tomorrow, H.R. 6323, which would undermine the President's ability 
to provide waivers to sanctions for humanitarian assistance. While Mr. 
Luetkemeyer's bill largely is redundant of existing U.S. policy, Mrs. 
Kim's bill tomorrow will harm our national interests and America's 
standing in the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to 
close.
  H.R. 6015 would require the President to ensure that humanitarian 
exemptions involving U.S. sanctions on Iran do not facilitate acts of 
international

[[Page H2382]]

terrorism, transactions with sanctioned persons, or the proliferation 
of weapons of mass destruction.
  This bill mandates that the President establish clear rules for how 
such sanctions waivers and licenses can be applied. Unlike many of the 
other bills offered by my Republican colleagues, this one seems to be 
largely redundant of existing U.S. policy and affirms the longstanding 
practice of the United States to offer humanitarian waivers to our 
comprehensive sanctions to ensure that innocent civilians are not the 
targets of our sanctions.
  Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1800

  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I applaud Mr. Luetkemeyer's thoughtful approach here. I think it is 
important to note this bill was passed with unanimous support out of 
the House Financial Services Committee, and I would expect similar 
unanimous support here on the House floor to make a strong statement 
that we want our sanctions to work, and when we say we are going to do 
something as a country, we follow through on that commitment.
  I think this is a proper way to do that in light of the actions of 
the Iranian regime over the weekend. In particular, we want to make 
sure that all sanctions against the Iranian regime are appropriate and 
appropriately designed and carried out well.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6015, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. McHenry. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________