Sanctions Needed to Address Iranian Nuclear Threat

Madame Speaker, thank you. We are just days away from President Obama's deadline to Iran that it accept his offer of meaningful talks about that country's nuclear program.

Although the U.S. and other world powers will meet with Iran on October 1, Iran has said the discussions of its nuclear program are "finished." Any discussion that does not include Iran's nuclear program significantly dilutes any benefits of such talks.

For eight months, Iran has had the opportunity to discuss its nuclear program. Now, moments before the deadline, it proposes talks, but remains unwilling to engage on the most important issue.

The President needs to rally international support through the U.N. and G-20 Summit this month for sanctions against Iran to ensure they have great impact.

At the same time, Congress should move forward with legislation that has been introduced to put pressure on Iran. Specifically, we need to pass H.R. 2194, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act.

The longer we wait to address Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, the more difficult it becomes to deal with Iran, and the world becomes a more dangerous place. Hoping Iran changes course is not a strategy we can live with.

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