[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 195 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 195
Opposing the lifting of sanctions imposed with respect to Iran without
addressing Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile development,
support for terrorism, and other destabilizing activities.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 8, 2019
Mr. Cotton (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Braun, Mr. Hawley,
Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Young, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Wicker, Mr.
Cramer, Mr. Sasse, and Mr. Inhofe) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Opposing the lifting of sanctions imposed with respect to Iran without
addressing Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile development,
support for terrorism, and other destabilizing activities.
Whereas the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA), an agreement that was
finalized by the administration of President Obama and the respective
governments of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the People's
Republic of China, and the Russian Federation (P5+1) in July 2015,
provided Iran permanent sanctions relief and access to more than
$100,000,000,000 in return for temporary restrictive measures on Iran's
nuclear program;
Whereas, under the JCPOA, restrictions on the number and types of centrifuges
that Iran may manufacture, the number and types of enrichment facilities
that Iran may construct, and the amount and level of enriched uranium
and heavy water that Iran may stockpile, will expire;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231, unanimously
adopted on July 20, 2015, contained an 8-year nonbinding restriction on
Iranian nuclear-capable ballistic missile activities and a 5-year ban on
conventional arms transfers to Iran;
Whereas neither the JCPOA nor UNSCR 2231 adequately addressed the threat
emanating from Iran's ballistic missile program or support for
terrorism, and the sunset provisions applied to prohibitions in UNSCR
2231 inadvertently legitimized that program and support;
Whereas, based on the shortcomings of the JCPOA and UNSCR 2231, bipartisan
majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives opposed
the JCPOA and the sanctions relief for Iran contained in the agreement;
Whereas the sanctions relief contained in the JCPOA provided resources necessary
for Iran to continue developing ballistic missiles and supporting
terrorism;
Whereas the administration of President Trump has designated Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization under
section 219(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189(a))
and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group under Executive Order
13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and
prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or
support terrorism);
Whereas, on May 21, 2018, Secretary of State Pompeo outlined steps that the
Iranian government must take to normalize relations with the United
States, to include--
(1) providing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) a full
account of the prior military dimensions of its nuclear program and
permanently and verifiably abandoning such work;
(2) ceasing all enrichment and vowing never to pursue plutonium
reprocessing;
(3) providing the IAEA with access to all sites throughout the entire
country;
(4) ending its development and proliferation of ballistic missiles;
(5) releasing all United States citizens currently held hostage, as
well as citizens of United States partners and allies;
(6) ending support for terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas,
and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad;
(7) respecting the sovereignty of Iraq by demobilizing Iranian-
controlled Shia militias in the country;
(8) ending its military support for the Houthi militia in Yemen;
(9) withdrawing all forces under Iranian command in Syria;
(10) ending support for the Taliban in Afghanistan and for senior al
Qaeda leaders around the region;
(11) ending the IRGC's support for terrorists and militant partners
around the world; and
(12) halting its threatening behavior against its neighbors;
Whereas President Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from the
JCPOA on May 8, 2018, and, since then, has gradually reimposed sanctions
that were suspended by the Obama administration under the JCPOA;
Whereas the JCPOA defined the sanctions that the Obama administration suspended
under the JCPOA as ``nuclear-related'', but ``nuclear-related'' is not a
term recognized under existing statutory sanctions related to Iran;
Whereas the Obama administration agreed to define the most significant bilateral
sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran as ``nuclear-related'',
waive the application of those sanctions under the JCPOA, and commit the
executive branch to attempt to work with Congress and State and local
governments in the United States to repeal the provisions of law
providing for those sanctions upon the expiration of the JCPOA;
Whereas, pursuant to the terms of the JCPOA, sanctions were lifted on Iranian
financial institutions, cargo vessels, aircraft, and charities, which
were not linked to Iran's nuclear program but were sanctioned for
illicit conduct;
Whereas, pursuant to section 401(a) of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions,
Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8551(a)), in order
to terminate sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran and other
financial institutions of Iran, the President is required to certify
that ``the Government of Iran has ceased providing support for acts of
international terrorism and no longer satisfies the requirements for
designation as a state sponsor of terrorism'', and that ``Iran has
ceased the pursuit, acquisition, and development of, and verifiably
dismantled its, nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and ballistic
missiles and ballistic missile launch technology'';
Whereas, pursuant to section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (Public Law
104-172; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note), in order to terminate sanctions imposed
with respect to the energy sector of Iran, the President is required to
certify ``that Iran--
``(1) has ceased its efforts to design, develop, manufacture, or
acquire--
G ``(A) a nuclear explosive device or related materials and
technology;
G ``(B) chemical and biological weapons; and
G ``(C) ballistic missiles and ballistic missile launch technology;
``(2) has been removed from the list of countries the governments of
which have been determined . . . to have repeatedly provided support for
acts of international terrorism; and
``(3) poses no significant threat to United States national security,
interests, or allies.''; and
Whereas the concept of ``nuclear-related'' sanctions does not exist in statute
and existing statutes likely require a treaty to terminate such
sanctions: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States
not to allow Iran to develop or otherwise acquire a nuclear
weapons capability;
(2) resolves that the lifting or termination of sanctions
with respect to Iran must take place only as provided for under
section 401(a) of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions,
Accountability, and Divestment Act (22 U.S.C. 8551(a)) and
section 8 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-
172; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note); and
(3) rejects the reapplication of sanctions relief provided
for in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
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