APN Legislative Round-Up: February 10, 2017

1. Bills & Resolutions
2. Hearings
3. On the Record

1. Bills & Resolutions

(BAD PALESTINIANS – NO ICC FOR YOU!) H. Res. 109: Introduced 2/7 by Walorski (R-IN) and no cosponsors, “Deploring the actions of the Palestinian Authority to join the International Criminal Court and undertake legal action through the Court against Israel.” The resolution condemns Palestinian actions related to the ICC as “lawfare” which it defines as “the abuse of law to achieve political and military means and has as its goals the delegitimization of the sovereignty of democratic states and the obstruction of democracies to fight against and defeat terrorism” and as “a national security danger to all democracies.”  The resolutions closed by resolving that the House of Representatives “views lawfare as a threat to United States military activities abroad and those of the United States democratic allies, and believes it is vital to take a stand against its use in order to protect the Nation’s best interests.” Referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

(CONTINUE EGYPT CASH-FLOW FINANCING) H. Res. 113: Introduced 2/9 by Rohrabacher (R-CA), “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should continue to authorize cash flow financing to Egypt and expand other areas of cooperation.” Referred to House Ways and Means.

 

2. Hearings & Briefings

NOTE: Rumors are swirling in DC that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for ambassador to Israel-designate David Friedman next week, possibly on Thursday. Stay tuned (or check back for yourself in the coming days on the SFRC’s hearing schedule page). APN’s resource page on David Friedman is here, including a compilation of David Friedman quotes (with links to the original sources) and Lara Friedman’s op-ed in the Hill laying out why specifically these quotes disqualify Friedman from being the U.S. ambassador to Israel.

2/16: The House Foreign Affairs Committee (full committee) will hold a hearing entitled, “Iran on Notice.” Scheduled witnesses are: Scott Modell, The Rapidan Group; Katherine Bauer, WINEP; David Albright, ISIS; and Andrew Exum, The Atlantic.

2/14: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade will hold a hearing entitled, “Defeating Terrorism in Syria: A New Way Forward.” Scheduled witnesses are: Hassan Hassan, The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy; Frederic C. Hof, the Atlantic Council; and Melissa Dalton, CSIS.

2/9: United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) cohosted a lunch briefing on Capitol Hill entitled, “U.S. Policy on Iran: Now What?” “Keynote speakers” Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and  Ambassador John Bolton. Panelists were former Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and JINSA’s Stephen Rademaker, Panelist. UANI’s Ambassador Kristen Silverberg was the moderator. Video of the 1.5 hour event is here. Further reading – Senator: US Should Designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a Terrorist Organization (The Algemeiner, 2/9); UANI Panel Discusses New U.S. Policy on Iran (Jewish Insider, 2/9)

 

3. On the Record

 Various Issues

Cotton (R-AR) 2/9: Cotton Meets with Nominee for Ambassador to Israel David Friedman

Gardner (R-CO) 2/9: Senator: US Should Designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a Terrorist Organization

Royce (R-CA) 2/8: Chairman Royce Statement on Atrocities in Syria

Feinstein (D-CA) 2/7: Feinstein: Israeli Bill Dramatic Step Away From Peace

Cotton (R-AR) 2/6: Cotton Discusses Renewing American Strength Abroad at AEI (slamming Obama Admin policies on Iran & Mideast)

Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) 2/6: Floor statement saluting “ISRAEL BONDS' ‘A NIGHT ON THE BEACH’”

Granger (R-TX) 2/3: Public letter making the case for her bill to cut off funding for the UN if the UNSC does not repeal UNSCR 2334, reiterating longstanding consensus policy on settlements

Gaetz (R-FL) & Gohmert (R-TX) 2/3: Colloquy on the dangers posed by Iran, slamming Obama on Iran & Israel, etc…

Lieu (D-CA) 2/3: The Trump Administration Is Recklessly Escalating Tensions with Iran

Cornyn (R-TX), Rubio (R-FL) & Young (R-IN) 2/2: Oped on Fox News – “It's time for action against Iran” (calling for Senators to support the S.227, Iran Non-Nuclear Sanctions Act)

Iran Sanctions

Babin (R-TX) 2/3: Babin Issues Statement Supporting New Sanctions on Iran

Brady (R-TX) 2/3: Brady on New Iran Sanctions

Cardin (D-MD) 2/3: Cardin Statement on Latest Iran Sanctions

Carter (R-TX) 2/3: Carter Applauds President Trump's Actions to Roll Back Dodd-Frank, Block Fiduciary Rule, Sanction Iran

Corker (R-TN) 2/3: Corker Statement on Trump Administration Sanctions Against Iran

Corker (R-TN) 2/3: Corker on New Iran Sanctions: “We Finally Are Pushing Back in the Way That We Should”
Costello (R-PA) 2/3: COSTELLO STATEMENT ON ADMINISTRATION’S SANCTIONS ON IRAN

Daines (R-MT) 2/3: Daines Statement on Iran Sanctions

Davis (R-IL) 2/3: Davis Statement on Sanctions Against Iran

Dent (R-PA) 2/3: Dent Statement on Iran Sanctions

Deutch (D-FL) 2/3: Deutch Welcomes New Iran Sanctions in Response to Recent Missile Test

Engel (D-NY) 2/3: ENGEL STATEMENT ON NEW IRAN SANCTIONS

Ernst (R-IA) 2/3: Ernst Statement on Sanctions Against Iran, Russia

Feinstein (D-CA) 2/5: "I think he [Trump] is right in this. I think Iran in wrong in this…Let me be very clear. These are not nuclear ballistic missiles; they are conventional ballistic missiles, but Iran has a lot of them–more than anyone else in that area."

Gardner (R-CO) 2/3: Gardner Statement on Sanctions Against Iran

Gottheimer (R-NJ) 2/3: Josh Gottheimer Statement on New Sanctions Against Iran’s Ballistic Missile Program

Graham (R-SC) 2/3: Graham On New Iran Sanctions

Hoyer (D-MD) 2/3: Hoyer Statement on New Sanctions Against Iran

Hudson (R-NC) 2/3: Hudson Statement on New Iran Sanctions

Isakson (R-GA) and Perdue (R-GA) 2/3: Isakson, Perdue Applaud Trump Administration Sanctions against Iran

Issa (R-CA) 2/3: Issa Applauds New Iran Sanctions

Lamborn (R-CO) 2/3: Lamborn Applauds Increased Sanctions on Iran

Lance (R-NJ) 2/3: Lance Statement on Iran Sanctions

Lankford (R-OK) 2/3 Statement on Iran sanctions (in Twitter)

McCarthy (R-CA) 2/3: Leader McCarthy on New Iran Sanctions

McCaul (R-TX) 2/3: McCaul Statement on Iran Sanctions

McSally (R-AZ) 2/3: U.S. Rep. McSally Statement on Iran Sanctions

Meehan (R-PA) 2/3: New Iran Sanctions “A Responsible, Warranted Consequence” to Ballistic Missile Test

Murkowski (R-AL) 2/3: Murkowski on New Iran Sanctions

Olson (R-TX) 2/3: Olson Applauds New Iran Sanctions

Pittenger (R-NC) 2/3: CONGRESSMAN PITTENGER ON IRAN SANCTIONS: FINALLY, AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT TOLD IRAN ‘NO’

Poe (R-TX) 2/3: STATEMENT FROM CHAIRMAN POE REGARDING IRAN'S BALLISTIC MISSILE TEST

Poe (R-TX) 2/3: Floor statement applauding Trump’s saber-rattling at Iran, entitled (apparently without deliberate irony), “The Menace of the Desert-Warmonger”

Poliquin (R-ME) 2/3: Rep. Poliquin Statement on New Iran Sanctions

Rocye (R-CA) 2/3: Chairman Royce Statement on Iran Sanctions

Roskam (R-IL) 2/3: Roskam Applauds New Sanctions on Iran

Rubio (R-FL) 2/3: Rubio Applauds New Sanctions on Iran

Ryan (R-WI) 2/3: Statement on New Iran Sanctions

Scott (R-SC) 2/3: Senator Scott Statement on New Iran Sanctions

Smith (R-NJ) 2/3: Smith Statement on Iran Sanctions

Stivers (R-OH) 2/3: Statement from Congressman Steve Stivers Regarding the Recent Announcement of New Sanctions Against Iran

Sullivan (R-AK) 2/3: Sullivan Statement on Iran Sanctions

Walorski (R-IN) 2/3: Walorski Statement on New Iran Sanctions

Warner (D-VA) 2/3: Vice Chairman Warner on Iranian Sanctions

Wenstrip (R-OH) 2/3: Wenstrup Statement on New Iran Sanctions

Wilson (R-SC) 2/6: Wilson Statement on New Iran Sanctions

Zeldin (R-NY) 2/3: Congressman Zeldin Statement Supporting New Iran Sanctions