Legislative Round-Up: October 12, 2017

Produced by the Foundation for Middle East Peace in cooperation with Americans for Peace Now, where the Legislative Round-Up was conceived

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

1. Bills, Resolutions & Letters


(MORE $$/WEAPONS FOR ISRAEL, CUZ…IRAN) HR 4017: Introduced 10/11 by Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mast (R-FL), “To authorize the President to take actions to ensure Israel is prepared for all contingencies if Iran seeks to develop a nuclear weapon after expiration of certain provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
 
(IRAN PROXY FORCES – REPORT) HR 4012: Introduced 10/11 by Schneider (D-IL) and 12 bipartisan cosponsors, “To require a National Intelligence Estimate on Iranian proxy forces, and for other purposes.” Referred to the Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select), and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
 
(AMCITS HELD BY IRAN) S. Res. 245: Introduced 8/3 by Cruz (R-TX) and Leahy (D-VT), and having 6 cosponsors (bipartisan), “A resolution calling on the Government of Iran to release unjustly detained United States citizens and legal permanent resident aliens, and for other purposes.” On 10/5, the SFRC ordered the measure to be reported without amendment favorably. Cruz-Leahy press release is here.
 
(WAR POWERS ACT -YEMEN) H. Con. Res. 81: Introduced 9/27 by Khanna (D-CA) and having 27 cosponsors, “Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Republic of Yemen.” On 10/11, Collins (R-GA) asked unanimous consent that the provisions of section 7 of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1546) shall apply to H.Con.Res. 81 not earlier than November 2, 2017, but on the same terms that would have adhered on October 13, 2017. Agreed to without objection.

(SANCTIONS ON HIZBALLAH) S. 1595: Introduced 7/20 by Rubio (R-FL) and Shaheen (D-NH), and having 36 cosponsors “To amend the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 to impose additional sanctions with respect to Hizballah, and for other purposes,” aka, the “Hizballah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2017.” Passed by the Senate 10/5 by Unanimous Consent. Rubio press release is here.  Other press releases: Hoeven (R-ND); Heitkamp (D-ND).

Letters
 
(RELEASE INFO ABOUT BOEING DEAL WITH IRAN) Cotton-Roskam letter: On 10/6, Sen. Cotton (R-AR) and Rep. Roskam (R-IL) sent a letter to Attorney General Sessions urging him to allow a U.S. court to compel Boeing to release information about its recent deal with Iran in the context of a case related to compensating victims of Iran-backed terror. Cruz’s press release, entitled “Cotton, Roskam Urge Transparency in Court for Victims of Iranian Terrorism” is here. Roskam’s press release, entitled “Roskam, Cotton Urge Full Disclosure of Boeing-Iran Air Deal Details,” is here. Roskam has  been attacking/trying to block Boeing’s deal with Iran since it was announced.
 
(RECERTIFY JCPOA) Price-Deutch letter: On 10/4, Reps. Price (D-NC) and Deutch (D-FL) sent a letter, signed by more than 180 House members (including all House Democratic leaders), to President Trump, urging him to recertify Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA.  Price-Deutch press release is here. Press releases from signers: Doggett (D-TX), Beyer (D-VA), Sablan (D-MP-at large).
 
(DON’T CUT OR DELAY AID TO EGYPT) King et al letter: On 9/28, Rep. King (R-IA) and 4 GOP colleagues sent a letter to SecState Tillerson expressing “grave concerns” about the Administration’s decision to cut $95.7 million, and to delay $195 million, in aid to Egypt. 10/2 press release is here.
 

2. Hearings


10/12: The House Foreign Affairs Committee held markup on HR 1698, the “Iran Ballistic Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act.” Chairman Royce (R-CA) offered an amendment in the nature of substitute (text here), which was adopted by the committee by Voice Vote without objection. Video of the markup is here.
 
10/11: The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing entitled “Confronting the Full Range of Iranian Threats.” Witnesses were: James Jeffrey, WINEP [statement]; Gen. (ret.) Charles Wald, JINSA [statement]; David Albright, ISIS [statement]; and Jake Sullivan, Carnegie [statement]. Chairman Royce’s (D-CA) opening statement is here. Ranking member Engel’s (D-NY) opening statement is here. Video of the hearing is here. 10/4 Hearing notice is here. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) statement is here. Zeldin (R-NY) press release (touting his question of former Obama official Jake Sullivan) is here.

10/11: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Middle East and North Africa held a hearing entitled, “U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon.” Witnesses were Michael Ratney
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs [statement]; and Jeanne Pryor
Acting Deputy Assistant USAID for the Middle East [statement]. Video of the hearing is here. Chair Ros-Lehtinen’s (R-FL) opening statement is here.
 
10/4: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade held a hearing entitled, “Iranian Backed Militias: Destabilizing the Middle East.” Witnesses were: Michael Knights, WINEP [statement]; Aram Nerguizian, CSIS [statement]; Kenneth Pollack, AEI [statement]; and Melissa Dalton, CSIS [statement]. Chairman “And-that’s-just-the-way-it-is” Poe’sb(R-TX) opening statement is here. Video of the hearing is here.
 
10/3: The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations held a hearing entitled, “Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability.” Witnesses were former US Rep. Frank Wolf [statement]; Shireen, a Yazidi Survivor of ISIS Enslavement [statement]; Stephen Rasche, Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil [statement]; and Lauren Ashburn, Eternal Word Television Network (global Catholic TV) [statement]. Video of the hearing is here.
 

3. On the Record

Costa (D-CA) 10/11: Floor statement – “Recertify Iran Nuclear Deal”
Franks (R-AZ) 10/11: The Bullying of the Kurds Will Not Go Unanswered
Zeldin (R-NY) 10/10: Rep. Zeldin Calls on Administration to Not Recertify the Iran Nuclear Deal
Schumer (D-NY) 10/10: Schumer Calls For U.S. Embassy In Israel To Be Moved To Jerusalem; Senator Says We Have Waited Too Long; Urges Action To Make Clear The U.S. Commitment To Move Embassy
Carper (D-DE) 10/10: Carper Urges Trump to Recertify Iran Nuclear Deal
Coons (D-DE) 10/10: Sen. Coons’ statement on Iran nuclear agreement, reports that Trump admin will ‘de-certify’
Cheney (R-WY) 10/6: Newsletter piece on JCPOA (“I believe every member of congress will be responsible for ensuring we don't perpetuate this terrible deal in its current form.”)
Price (D-NC) 10/6: Statement on Reports that President Trump Plans to ‘Decertify’ Iran Nuclear Deal
Cotton (R-AR) 10/6: Cotton Statement on Potential Sale of THAAD System to Saudi Arabia [short version: YIPPEE!]
De Santis (R-FL) 10/6: DeSantis Lauds Reports President Trump Will Designate the IRGC as a Terrorist Group
Feinstein (D-CA) 10/5: Feinstein to Trump: Don’t Abandon Iran Nuclear Agreement
Van Hollen (D-MD) 10/5: Floor statement in support of Iran nuclear agreement (excerpt: “The Iran deal is working. It has verifiably shut off Iran's pathways to a nuclear bomb, imposed tough constraints on Iran's nuclear program, and subjected Iran to the most comprehensive inspection and monitoring regime ever negotiated. How do we know? We know from Donald Trump himself…”)
Warren (D-MA) 10/5: Statement from Senator Warren on Iran Nuclear Agreement
Crowley (D-NY) 10/5: Chairman Crowley Statement on Reports that President Trump May Decertify Iran Deal (“If these reports are accurate, this would be an irresponsible and unnecessary decision by the president.”)
Lee (D-CA) 10/5: Congresswoman Barbara Lee Urges President Trump to Recertify Iran Deal
Cardin (D-MD) 10/4: Cardin Calls on Trump Not to Violate Iran Nuclear Deal
Schakowsky (D-IL) 10/4: Schakowsky Calls on President Trump to Recertify Iran Nuclear Agreement
Cotton (R-AR) 10/3: Cotton Calls for Decertifying the Iran Deal
Reed (D-RI) 10/3: Reed Joins Sec. Mattis & Gen. Dunford in Urging Adherence to the Iran Nuclear Agreement
Gallego (D-AZ) 10/3: In response to questioning from Rep. Ruben Gallego, Defense Secretary James Mattis Confirms that Iran is Complying with Nuclear Deal
Cruz (R-TX) 10/3: Address to ACT for America National Security Legislative Briefing on threats to US national security (top threat: Muslim Brotherhood)
Boyle (D-PA) 10/2: Boyle Advances Amendment to Sanction Russian Support of Hezbollah