[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 40 (Monday, October 9, 2006)]
[Pages 1707-1708]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Congressional Action on the ``Iran Freedom Support Act''

September 30, 2006

    My administration is working on many fronts to address the 
challenges posed by the Iranian regime's pursuit of weapons of mass 
destruction, support for terrorism, efforts to destabilize the Middle 
East, and repression of the fundamental human rights of the citizens of 
Iran. We are engaged in intense diplomacy alongside our allies and have 
also undertaken financial measures to counter the actions of the Iranian 
regime.
    I applaud Congress for demonstrating its bipartisan commitment to 
confronting the Iranian regime's repressive and destabilizing activities 
by passing the Iran Freedom Support Act. This legislation will codify 
U.S. sanctions on Iran while providing my administration with 
flexibility to tailor those sanctions in appropriate circumstances and 
impose sanctions upon entities that aid the Iranian regime's development 
of nuclear weapons.
    I applaud the efforts of Chairman Richard Shelby, Ranking Member 
Paul Sarbanes, Rick Santorum, and Bill Nelson in the Senate and Chairman 
Henry Hyde, Ranking Member Tom Lantos, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and Gary 
Ackerman in the House. I look forward to signing this bill into law, 
which will facilitate America's support for the Iranian people in their 
efforts to build a just, free, and peaceful society.

Note: The statement referred to H.R. 6198.

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