OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Regarding the Ongoing Negotiations to Prevent Iran from Acquiring a Nuclear Weapon

Floor Speech

Date: April 21, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Foreign Affairs

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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I stand to commend the efforts of President Obama and our P5+1 partners to achieve a strong, verifiable agreement to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

The economic sanctions imposed through joint action from the Congress and the president, combined with the sanctions imposed by our international partners, have succeeded in bringing Iran to the negotiating table. We must maintain the unity that has succeeded in keeping the pressure on Iran. That unity helped produce an interim agreement last November that, among other things, effectively eliminated Iran's stockpile of more highly enriched nuclear material. Even the early critics of the interim agreement have now acknowledged that it was a useful step.

We now have The Framework for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran's Nuclear Program that represents another important step toward the goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. As the Administration has acknowledged, many important details remain to be negotiated in the coming months. I will be carefully monitoring and reviewing the ongoing negotiations to determine whether the final product meets the objectives we have established. As these negotiations proceed, it is important that Congress refrain from taking actions that could weaken our negotiating position and undermine the multi-lateral sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table.

There is a very important role for Congress in this process. Congress will review this agreement and have the opportunity to act. Moreover, any repeal of the sanctions legislation will require congressional action. As negotiations continue, I look forward to working with the president and my congressional colleagues to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. I agree with President Obama that it would be best if we can achieve that objective by negotiating a verifiable agreement.

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