[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 13356]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  PROHIBITING RANSOM PAYMENTS TO IRAN

  (Mr. LaHOOD asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5931, 
legislation prohibiting future ransom payments to Iran.
  In the midst of a global war on terror, it should be common sense 
that the United States of America should not be sending untraceable 
pallets of cash on an airplane to the leading state sponsor of 
terrorism. Apparently it isn't, though, because that is exactly what 
happened and what this administration engaged in.
  We know now that $1.7 billion in cash was given to Iran in exchange 
for the release of prisoners, violating America's longstanding policy 
against ransom payments.
  Predictably, this administration has admitted that it cannot 
guarantee that this money did not go to fund current or future 
terrorism by Iran. In addition, all of this was done in secret, lacking 
transparency with the American people.
  Today the House is taking action to end this practice. H.R. 5931 
prohibits any cash payments to Iran regardless of the rationale or 
reasoning behind it. It also ensures the American people will be 
notified if a President ever attempts this sort of deal again.
  America cannot be a country that sends cash to countries that fund 
terrorism. Period.

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