Earlier today APN sent the following message to all House offices urging Members to oppose HR 2194, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (IRPSA):
Dear xxxxx,
Next week a piece of major Iran sanctions legislation, HR 2194, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (IRPSA) will be brought to the floor under suspension of the rules. This means that there will be only limited debate on the measure and no amendments allowed.
Click here to download a table containing a section-by-section analysis of the bill, including proposed amendments.
We have opposed HR 2194 since it was introduced. We believe at its premise it reflects a misguided and potentially self-defeating approach for the US to the challenge posed by Iran's nuclear program. Our full position on the proper response to Iran can be read here.
We oppose this bill, not because we oppose all sanctions. In fact, we have supported and continue to support smart, targeted sanctions that are part of a broader US strategy to deal with this critical foreign policy and national security challenge. Unfortunately HR 2194 is not about smart, targeted sanctions.
Dear xxxxx,
Next week a piece of major Iran sanctions legislation, HR 2194, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (IRPSA) will be brought to the floor under suspension of the rules. This means that there will be only limited debate on the measure and no amendments allowed.
Click here to download a table containing a section-by-section analysis of the bill, including proposed amendments.
We have opposed HR 2194 since it was introduced. We believe at its premise it reflects a misguided and potentially self-defeating approach for the US to the challenge posed by Iran's nuclear program. Our full position on the proper response to Iran can be read here.
We oppose this bill, not because we oppose all sanctions. In fact, we have supported and continue to support smart, targeted sanctions that are part of a broader US strategy to deal with this critical foreign policy and national security challenge. Unfortunately HR 2194 is not about smart, targeted sanctions.
* It is about sanctions that target the Iranian people, in the hope
that if the people become miserable enough they will pressure their
government to change course. This is a strategy that few experts
believe will work, and a strategy that has a very poor track record in
other contexts (Iraq, Cuba, Gaza). Indeed, experience has demonstrated
with sanctions like these, the most likely and immediate result will be
a backlash by the people of Iran against the United States, not against
the Iranian regime.
* It is about taking authority away from the President on an issue critical to US national security. HR 2194 opens with a "Sense of Congress" which states that "international diplomatic efforts to address Iran's illicit nuclear efforts, unconventional and ballistic missile development programs, and support for international terrorism are more likely to be effective if the President is empowered with the explicit authority to impose additional sanctions on the Government of Iran." But rather than "empowering" the President with additional authority, HR 2194 would sharply limit his authority regarding both existing sanctions and potential new ones.
* Those are just the two biggest problems with the bill. There are others.
We understand that this is a complex issue and that many have not had the opportunity to closely study the bill and its potential problematic implications. For this reason, we have prepared a table containing a section-by-section analysis of the bill (bill text, objections to specific provisions, and the simple amendments that could be made to make the language consistent with the stated intent of the bill and with US national security interests).
Click here to download the table.
We urge members of Congress to oppose HR 2194 in its current form.
For members who feel they cannot vote against HR 2194, we urge them to speak out on the House floor and make clear their concerns about the very problematic elements the bill contains.
We also urge members to press leadership to make sure that, if and when there is a House-Senate conference on IRPSA, these concerns are addressed at that time.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this issue.
Sincerely,
Lara Friedman
Director of Policy and Government Relations
Americans for Peace Now
* It is about taking authority away from the President on an issue critical to US national security. HR 2194 opens with a "Sense of Congress" which states that "international diplomatic efforts to address Iran's illicit nuclear efforts, unconventional and ballistic missile development programs, and support for international terrorism are more likely to be effective if the President is empowered with the explicit authority to impose additional sanctions on the Government of Iran." But rather than "empowering" the President with additional authority, HR 2194 would sharply limit his authority regarding both existing sanctions and potential new ones.
* Those are just the two biggest problems with the bill. There are others.
We understand that this is a complex issue and that many have not had the opportunity to closely study the bill and its potential problematic implications. For this reason, we have prepared a table containing a section-by-section analysis of the bill (bill text, objections to specific provisions, and the simple amendments that could be made to make the language consistent with the stated intent of the bill and with US national security interests).
Click here to download the table.
We urge members of Congress to oppose HR 2194 in its current form.
For members who feel they cannot vote against HR 2194, we urge them to speak out on the House floor and make clear their concerns about the very problematic elements the bill contains.
We also urge members to press leadership to make sure that, if and when there is a House-Senate conference on IRPSA, these concerns are addressed at that time.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this issue.
Sincerely,
Lara Friedman
Director of Policy and Government Relations
Americans for Peace Now
Please oppose HR2194 in its current form.
First I ask how sanctions can be smarter or more targeted than sanctions on those who ship refined fuel to Iran, those who provide boats to such companies, and those who insure such ships. The sanctions are targeting a vulnerable industry in a very specific way. What IRPSA really does is reduce Iran's ability to provide heavily subsidized gasoline to its people. Iran currently imports around 40% of its refined petroleum. Halting shipments from what are for the most part only five largely European companies would greatly impede Iran from subsidizing gas. One can argue that this is the wrong approach because it only hurts the people and this person would cite Cuba as evidence even though the Cuban situation is far different from the Iranian one.
This argument of sanctions being useless for affecting the Iranian government is greatly flawed for two simple reasons. First, the Iranian government is losing a lot of money because of its gas subsidies and the radical drop in world oil prices due to the recession. In past years the Iranian government propped itself up on oil money. This tactic of riding the oil wave is crashing and burning in Iran just as it is in Venezuela. Second, the Iranian people feel entitled to cheap gasoline. In fact, the last time Iran raised its gas price to around 33 cents a gallon as a result of the world recession, there were riots. Several gasoline stations were burned. What would happen to Iran (with an opposition stronger than anyone could have believed) if the government was suddenly forced to raise gas prices to a dollar? Or two? Or to worldwide norms nearer to 3? These sanctions, if used effectively, may be able to do far more than PeaceNow seems to be willing to dream.