Christian Leaders Applaud Progress on Iran Sanctions Bill -- Call for Passage and Presidential Signature
Contact: Dave Mohel, 703-548-1160
MEDIA ADVISORY, June 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christian Leaders for a Nuclear Free Iran applauds the efforts of Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA), for producing a conference report for the respective House and Senate legislation that will significantly strengthen sanctions against the regime in Iran, and urges swift passage and presidential implementation of sanctions on an Iranian regime that is moving closer to nuclear weapons capability every single day.
The House and Senate should pass this legislation before week's end and send it to President Obama, who should sign the sanctions bill in a public ceremony, pledge its immediate and forceful implementation, and reiterate U.S. policy that under no circumstances will we allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
"If the full conference agrees to the draft and it is passed by the House and Senate, it would impose tough, meaningful sanctions against the regime in Iran that is both sponsoring terrorism and building a nuclear weapons capability," according to Dr. Richard Land, of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The conference chairmen announced Monday they have reached an agreement on a draft. Votes are expected Thursday and Friday.
"Congress should pass these sanctions quickly and send them to the President's desk for his prompt signature," Land said. "The administration should publicly and forcefully implement them without delay. Each day that passes without implementing these sanctions is a day Iran gets closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon."
According to the conference chairmen, sanctions under in the draft conference report for H.R. 2194 would:
• Expand the scope of sanctions authorized under ISA by imposing sanctions on foreign companies -- including insurance, financing and shipping companies -- that sell Iran goods, services, or know-how that assist it in developing its energy sector;
• Ban U.S. banks from engaging in financial transactions with foreign banks doing business with the IRGC or facilitating Iran's illicit nuclear program or its support for terrorism
• Impose significant financial penalties and travel restrictions on Iran's human rights abusers.
• Establish three new sanctions, in addition to the menu of six sanctions that already exists under ISA, including: (1) a prohibition on access to foreign exchange in the U.S.; (2) a prohibition on access to the U.S. banking system; and (3) a prohibition on property transactions in the U.S. The Act would require the President to impose at least three of the possible now-nine sanctions on an entity in violation of ISA.
• Ban U.S. government procurement contracts for any foreign company that exports to Iran technology used to restrict the free flow of information or to disrupt, monitor, or otherwise restrict freedom of speech.
• Require a certification from a company bidding on a U.S. government procurement contract that it is not engaged in sanctionable conduct.
• Provide a legal framework by which U.S. states, local governments, and certain other investors can divest their portfolios of foreign companies involved in Iran's energy sector. Strengthen efforts to stop black-market diversion of sensitive technologies to Iran.
• Strengthen the U.S. trade embargo against Iran by codifying longstanding executive orders and limiting the goods exempted from the embargo.
• Increase substantially the criminal penalties for sanctions violations by U.S. entities.
We are running out of time to apply diplomatic pressures to this dangerous regime, and every day we delay, every moment we fail to show resolve, that regime comes closer to threatening the region and the stability of the world with nuclear weapons.
Christian Leaders for a Nuclear-Free Iran, an ad hoc coalition of evangelical, Roman Catholic and other faith leaders who have come together as a united, ecumenical voice that is reaching out to policy makers and opinion leaders calling for urgent action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. The coalition argues that Iran’s nuclear weapons program will destabilize the Middle East, lead to an arms race in a volatile part of the world, and threaten the United States and its allies in Europe.
The leaders include Charles Colson of Prison Fellowship Ministries, Richard Land of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Bill Donohue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, Pat Robertson of Christian Broadcasting Network, Dr. James Merritt of Cross Pointe Church, Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America, Gary Bauer of American Values, Tom Minnery of Focus on the Family, Dr. John Hagee of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Deal Hudson of the Morley Institute for Church and Culture and Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice.
