Wasserman Schultz on Passage of Iran Sanctions Bill

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) made the following statement on the passage of the House-Senate Agreement on Iran Sanctions:

“The U.S. Congress has once again made it clear to the world: we are resolute in using all tools at our disposal to halt Iran’s nefarious nuclear ambitions.

“This legislation, which AIPAC called ‘the strongest set of sanctions to isolate any country in the world during peacetime,’ is the latest in our concerted and hard-hitting sanctions regime that began with the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 in the Democratic-led Congress.

“This latest legislation contains new targeted restrictions on the Iranian energy sector, financial institutions, shipping companies, and insurers doing business with Iran. These latest sanctions complement previous legislation and Executive Orders that target the Central Bank of Iran, the National Iranian Oil Company, and the National Iranian Tanker Company.

“These sanctions, collectively the hardest-hitting in history, are already having a profound effect on Iran’s economy – a daily loss of $133 million and 1.2 million barrels of oil. Just this week, President Obama announced new sanctions against foreign banks that help Iran sell its oil, targeting Chinese and Iraqi banks. Congress and the Administration have once again made clear that we will not accept a nuclear Iran, and that we are prepared to use all options at our disposal to keep the world free from this Iranian threat.”