Dupage Policy Journal

While an international team develops its final report on Iran's nuclear capabilities as part of a multi-lateral agreement, U.S. Sens. Mark Kirk (R-IL), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently introduced a resolution to affirm the continuation of U.S. economic sanctions against Iran for sponsoring terrorism and other illegal activities.

“With this bipartisan measure, Congress stands with the 30 states and the District of Columbia that have imposed sanctions against Iran’s threatening behavior,” Kirk said. “As the Iran nuclear deal hands over more than $100 billion to the world’s biggest state sponsor of terrorism, it’s critical for the United States to do all it can to prevent Iran from escalating its support for terrorism, militancy and human-rights abuses in the Middle East and beyond.”

Senate Concurrent Resolution 26 essentially reaffirms that U.S. law gives state and local governments across the nation the authority to impose strict economic sanctions to combat Iran’s illegal actions. The resolution also reiterates that the Iran nuclear agreement, formally the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, does not in any way prevent state and local governments from imposing these sanctions.

“As Speaker of the Florida House, I led our state's push to stand with Israel by requiring the Florida pension program to divest from companies linked to the terrorist regime in Iran,” Rubio said. “As the first state to enact such legislation, Florida pioneered what became a national effort to divest from entities with any link to the brutal Iranian regime, denying it access to more money that would be used to develop nuclear weapons, sponsor terrorism and commit human-rights abuses.”

“Iran is the world’s largest sponsor of terror, and we must do everything in our power to ensure that this regime is not able to use the money that it will receive through the Iran nuclear deal to continue its deplorable terrorist actions," Manchin said. "This common-sense, bipartisan resolution reaffirms Congress’ full support for individual states and local governments to continue imposing strict sanctions on Iran.”

A group that includes Illinois U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam (R-Dist. 6) and Dan Lipinski (D-Dist. 3),has introduced a companion version of the resolution in the House.