Newsletter: A Time to Lead: Opposing the Disastrous Deal with Iran

Statement

Dear Friends,

President Obama's nuclear deal with Iran will embolden a country that vows "Death to America" and the obliteration of Israel.

Though a strong bipartisan majority in Congress opposes this dangerous agreement, the process empowers a minority made up of Senate Democrats to block consensus. Unfortunately, Senate Republican leadership seems to have forgotten what it means to lead and is ready to surrender to threats of filibuster and veto.

In the House, however, we haven't given up. Last week, we were set to vote on a resolution of disapproval, which would have given the president what he wanted. But I helped convince Republican leaders that such a vote was untimely because the president hadn't fulfilled his legal obligation to provide Congress with the entire agreement.

The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act was signed by President Obama. It requires that Congress receive any "annexes, appendices, codicils, side agreements" before the 60-day clock for a disapproval motion begins ticking. Conspicuously absent are two side deals between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, including widely ridiculed self-inspection provisions.

On Thursday, the House voted for a resolution finding the president has not complied with the law.

On Friday, we rejected a resolution to approve the deal, with 25 Democrats joining 244 Republicans in opposition. Finally, we voted for a bill suspending until January of 2017 -- after this president leaves office -- executive authority to ease or waive sanctions against Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism.

The agreement will accelerate terrorist attacks by releasing approximately $120 billion in Iranian assets. It lifts sanctions on Iran's General Soleimani, the "shadow commander" responsible for the deaths of more than 500 U.S. troops in Iraq, a plot to blow up the Washington embassies of Israel and Saudi Arabia, and Hezbollah raids on Israel.

The deal also lifts bans on Iran's import and export of conventional weapons and development of ballistic missiles. In return we don't even get back our four American captives in Iran, including Pastor Saeed Abedini of Boise.

The American people agree this policy is fatally flawed. A new Pew Research Center poll says 49 percent oppose the deal, with just 21 percent approving.

Fighting this capitulation is a matter of constitutional and existential concern. I will continue to work with colleagues to protect our national security and that of our friends in the Middle East.

Thank you,

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