Senate Democrats are rolling out an extension of a law imposing sanctions on Iran, setting up a likely fight over this issue once lawmakers return to Washington.
Lawmakers announced Friday that they had introduced legislation to extend the Iran Sanctions Act — currently set to expire at the end of the year — through 2026.
The legislation has the backing of 14 Democrats, including Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.); Sen.Ben Cardin (Md.), the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee; and Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), who is expected to be the next Senate Democratic leader.
“It is essential that Congress keep Iran’s feet to the fire to make sure they do not violate the [nuclear deal],” Schumer said in a statement. “This bill would provide the sanction authority that helps us do just that.”
Cardin added that he hopes Congress will be able to move the legislation quickly once lawmakers return to Washington in September.
“It is clear that we need to reauthorize the Iran Sanctions Act before the end of the year,” he said. “Doing so is vital if the United States wants to retain a credible deterrent of snapback sanctions.”
Despite bipartisan support in the Senate for extending the act, which includes sanctions targeting Iran’s missile activities, lawmakers are split over how to renew the law.
Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee; Bob Menendez(D-N.J.); Marco Rubio (R-Fla.); Tom Cotton (R-Ark.); Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.); and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) also introduced Iran-related legislation this week after months of negotiations.
While that would extend the sanctions act for 10 years, it also goes further than the Democrats’ bill by including new mandatory sanctions and limitations on a president’s ability to use national security waivers. The dueling proposals come roughly a year after the completion of the Iran nuclear agreement, which lifts certain sanctions on the country in exchange for curbing its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) introduced legislation earlier this year that would let the Iran Sanctions Act expire in approximately eight years if Iran complies with the nuclear deal.
Source: Hill, 15 July 2016
