Approval of Joint Comprehensive plan of Action

Floor Speech

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Mr. MEEKS. I thank the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, Dr. King once said, ``On some positions, Cowardice asks
the question, `Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, `Is it
politic?' Vanity asks the question, `Is it popular?' But Conscience
asks the question, `Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must
take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one
must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right.''

I have often reflected on those words when faced with tough
decisions.

Today's vote on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is one of the
most consequential votes we will take as Members of Congress.

My support for the Iran agreement is about doing what is right for
America, our allies, and the world. It is, indeed, a matter of
conscience.

Mr. Speaker, since the conclusion of the agreement, I have traveled
to 10 nations and vetted this deal from every angle I could think of so
that, at this moment of decision, I could act without reservation and
with full understanding.

As I listen to this debate, I am deeply disheartened that we are not
adequately weighing the realities of our globalized world.

After years of effort toward a more unified approach to addressing
Iran's nuclear ambitions, key partners in the Middle East region and
most of our allies consider the Iran agreement as an important next
step in diplomatic efforts.

Former U.S. ambassadors; former Israeli military; former U.S.
Secretaries of State, including Colin Powell; and so many others from
an array of vantage points have expressed support for this landmark
deal, as have over 100 nations.

We should not ignore the considered judgment of scientists, security
experts, renowned diplomats, and our allies. The consensus is that this
is a good deal.

Now, some of my colleagues believe that, despite the risk, rejecting
this deal can lead to a better deal down the road. Others oppose the
deal out of reckless political gamesmanship.

But what has become clear to me in my assessment of the risks
involved in supporting or rejecting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action is that, if Congress derails this deal, history will record such
act as a monumental mistake and the alternatives would not change
Iranian nuclear and weaponization pursuits.

Mr. Speaker, rejecting the plan and resorting to unilateral sanctions
would prove futile, as it has in the past, while relying on military
action would not curb Iran's ambitions or erase its technical
knowledge.

Critics also assert that this deal does not address concerns about
issues with Iran that are outside the scope of the plan. We know from
past experience that reaching an agreement on one critical issue does
not preclude us from working on other serious concerns by other means.

We negotiated with the Soviet Union during Strategic Arms Limitation
Talks, which took place in the midst of the Vietnam war that was waged
against us with Soviet-made arms, yet those agreements lessened the
danger of nuclear confrontation.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the Obama administration has shown tremendous
leadership on the world stage by choosing diplomacy first. Leadership
is never easy. By definition, it is a lonely and sometimes an unpopular
exercise.

Today we must show leadership, we must display fortitude, and do what
is right. And what is right in this scenario is that we support the
Iran agreement.

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