Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1149, I call up the bill (H.R. 4691) to provide for congressional review of actions to terminate or waive sanctions imposed with respect to Iran, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, even after the Trump administration rightfully withdrew from the dangerous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, the Biden administration entered office committed to pursuing a new nuclear deal with Iran.

Throughout this administration's dealings with Iran, it was abundantly clear that Iran was taking advantage of the administration's blind commitment to negotiations just for the sake of negotiating.

A nuclear Iran is not acceptable--full stop. However, throughout 2021 and 2022, the Biden administration continued to push negotiations even as Iran escalated its nuclear provocations. Iran suspended compliance with the IAEA Additional Protocol. Iran installed new advanced centrifuges. Iran increased its uranium stockpile toward enrichment. Iran refused to cooperate with an IAEA investigation.

In fact, I met with the Director General of the IAEA at his office in Europe, and he said that the Iranians had a cyberattack on their office and stole all of their documents pertaining to their investigations dealing with compliance from Iran on the sites.

That is not a sign of good faith. You can't negotiate with somebody like that.

Still, they are intent on getting this nuclear deal done. It became very clear that they are desperate to reach a deal, even if it was a bad deal.

The irony, Mr. Speaker, is this: The very individual charged by Congress and the administration, the special envoy to Iran, Mr. Malley, is under FBI investigation for violations of his security clearance. That is our top negotiator to Iran.

My colleagues and I have been gravely concerned that this administration would lift Iranian sanctions in exchange for insufficient limitations on Iran's nuclear program. These concerns grew even more severe, again, after Rob Malley came under FBI investigation, which the State Department failed to notify Congress. When I invited him to testify about the Iran deal, I was told he was not available, and now we know why.

It is deeply disturbing that the United States Government no longer trusts the one who is spearheading our negotiations with an enemy regime. We can't afford any strategic miscalculations when it comes to Iran.

Again, as I said in the prior debate, deterrence is key, and you only deter and get peace through projecting strength, including strengthening our economic sanctions while they have eased them.

Every dollar that goes to the Iranian regime in any form has the potential to be deadly. The events of this past weekend demonstrate that. Iran launched over 350 missile and drone attacks on our ally, Israel--unprecedented in history. Israel, the United States, and other partners intercepted 99 percent of these weapons.

Iran is not 10 feet tall. That is why this legislation is so important. Congress and the American people need an opportunity to review any proposed plans to lift sanctions, especially the ones that Congress has mandated, on this rogue regime.

I thank my good friend, Mr. Self, on the Foreign Affairs Committee, who is also from the great State of Texas, for this bill. This bill requires the President to report to Congress on any plans to terminate or waive sanctions on Iran. It codifies a process for Congress to conduct oversight of these proposed waivers and terminations.

We have that power under Article I of the Constitution. Yet, when they waive sanctions that Congress passed, they are not notifying us. We deserve that right. We have a responsibility to keep the American people safe, and that requires the executive branch and Congress to work together to determine the national security interests of the United States. Congress must have a say in any attempts to broker any kind of deal with Iran.

House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC, April 14, 2024. Hon. Michael McCaul, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: Thank you for consulting with the Committee on Financial Services regarding H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023. I agree that the Committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House Floor. The Committee takes this action with the mutual understanding that, by foregoing consideration of H.R. 4691 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that the Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved on this or similar legislation as it moves forward. The Committee also reserves the right to see appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any conference with the Senate involving this or similar legislation, and we request your support for any such request.

Finally, as you mentioned in your letter, I ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this bill be included in your Committee's report to accompany the legislation, as well as in the Congressional Record during floor consideration. Sincerely, Patrick McHenry, Chairman, Committee on Financial Services. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, April 14, 2024. Hon. Patrick McHenry, Chairman, Committee on Financial Services, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McHenry: Thank you for consulting with the Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023, so that the measure may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.

I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate conference on this legislation.

I will seek to place our letters on this bill into the Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work together as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Michael T. McCaul, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, April 15, 2024. Hon. Michael McCaul, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: I write regarding H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023. Provisions of this bill fall within the Judiciary Committee's Rule X jurisdiction, and I appreciate that you consulted with us on those provisions. The Judiciary Committee agrees that it shall be discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.

The Committee takes this action with the understanding that forgoing further consideration of this measure does not in any way alter the Committee's jurisdiction or waive any future jurisdictional claim over these provisions or their subject matter. We also reserve the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees in the event of a conference with the Senate involving this measure or similar legislation.

I ask that you please include this letter in your committee's report to accompany this legislation or insert this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 4691 on the House floor. I appreciate the cooperative manner in which our committees have worked on this matter, and I look forward to working collaboratively in the future on matters of shared jurisdiction. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Jim Jordan, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, April 15, 2024. Hon. Jim Jordan, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Jordan: Thank you for consulting with the Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act, so that the measure may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.

I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate conference on this legislation.

I will seek to place our letters on this bill into the Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work together as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Michael T. McCaul, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Washington, DC, April 15, 2024. Hon. Michael McCaul, Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: Thank you for consulting with the Committee on Oversight and Accountability. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability agrees to be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023, so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House Floor.

I agree that by foregoing consideration of H.R. 4691 at this time, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability does not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability should be appropriately consulted and involved on this or similar legislation as it moves forward. I support your effort to represent the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on the conference committee if a conference on the bill becomes necessary.

As discussed, I appreciate your inclusion of a copy of our exchange of letters on this bill in the bill report filed by the Foreign Affairs Committee and in the Congressional Record during House floor consideration thereof. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this bill and look forward to future opportunities to work together on matters of shared jurisdiction. Sincerely, James Comer, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Accountability. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC, April 15, 2024. Hon. James Comer, Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Comer: Thank you for consulting with the Foreign Affairs Committee and agreeing to be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 4691, the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2023, so that the measure may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.

I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of your committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives on this measure or similar legislation in the future. I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees from your committee to any House-Senate conference on this legislation.

I will seek to place our letters on this bill into the Congressional Record during floor consideration. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and look forward to continuing to work together as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Michael T. McCaul, Chairman.

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Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self), a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the author of this bill.

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Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

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Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I agree with some of the things my good friend has said. Diplomacy is extremely important. We deal with it on the committee all the time. It is called soft power. Then we have hard power. We sign off on foreign military weapons sales. Diplomacy at all costs needs to be tried, but when the diplomats fail, often we go to war or we have conflict.

The question before us is twofold. One, has Iran negotiated in good faith such that we would both waive or not enforce or let expire sanctions, many of them passed by Congress?

The second question is, are Article I authorities under the Constitution?

All we are simply asking for is when we pass a sanction--or the administration does so--that they notify Congress.

And I will tell you why this is important.

For months I tried to get Robert Malley, our special envoy to Iran, into the committee to testify on this Iran deal, but guess what? He refused to come testify. Why? Because we then find out he was under investigation by the FBI for potential violation of his security clearance.

This great Iran deal that they talk about has only brought Iran closer to a nuclear bomb, closer to weapons-grade uranium. They can go to 90 percent in days. If they get a nuclear warhead from Russia or North Korea, they have full capability, and they will become a nuclear state. We cannot let that happen.

They failed to declare nuclear sites in Iran. They kicked out investigators from the IAEA. Then in one of the most horrific displays of bad faith in negotiations, Mr. Speaker, do you know what they did? They launched a cyberattack on the IAEA to steal their documents related to their investigations on the very sites that the JCPOA was supposed to allow them in to examine. Then they blocked the inspectors from having access to these sites.

Now, I am all for negotiating. I am all for diplomacy. I don't think the Ayatollah is a good faith partner here, and I don't think he has our best interests at heart. They chant ``death to America,'' and ``death to Israel'' and call us ``Great Satan,'' and they call Israel ``Little Satan.'' They are closer to a bomb than they have ever been.

All we are saying, Mr. Speaker, is before you waive sanctions that Congress passed, or not enforce sanctions, just let us know. I don't think that is a big deal. I mean, Malley wouldn't testify before Congress. We didn't know why because they were hiding it from us. They didn't want us to know about the FBI investigation until the press reported it. We found out from the press--not from the administration, but from the press.

Let's look at some of the sanctions that they let expire and they have waived, and you tell me if that makes sense. The sanctions on energy, exporting energy to China, the majority going to China; we are allowing this axis of evil--the Ayatollah, Putin, and China--to work together with Iran exporting energy.

Mr. Speaker, $80 billion from China went into Iran to fund the very missiles and rockets and drones that we saw last Saturday night. It was the first attack from Iran into Israel in history.

Then they let the U.N. sanctions on exports to other countries for their missiles and drones to expire. Now, we have a bill to reinstate those sanctions. The very same drones and missiles were used to attack Israel last Saturday night, the very same drones and missiles that have been bought by Russia to kill Ukrainians. It is all interconnected. China is in this, the Ayatollah is in it, Putin is in it, and they are all profiting from Iran, who they provide technical expertise. Iran makes the stuff and the energy that they then buy from them to put the money in Iran to reign terror.

I think it only fair that the American people through their Representatives under Article I have the opportunity to even know when they are doing this and not operate behind a veil of secrecy. When a Republican President gets into office, what will the Democrats say then if they are hiding things on sanctions and investigations? I think we will hear the same argument that we are making on this side.

That is why this is not a partisan issue. This is about this institution under Article I. We have every right to know this, especially the sanctions that we pass in Congress. We always put a Presidential waiver in these things. Remember Nord Stream 2, we put a Presidential waiver. Nobody thought that a President would waive sanctions on a pipeline to put Europe in a state of dependency on Russian energy. Look how that one worked out. Did we know about it in advance? No. That didn't work out so well, did it?

Right after Afghanistan, guess what happens? Putin, the Russian Federation went into Ukraine. Chairman Xi is watching it. He is looking at Taiwan.

No. We have tried. We have tried acting in good faith with them. They are not acting in good faith with us, and the American people through its Representatives and the Congress, I say, have a right to know.

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Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

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