IRAN THREAT REDUCTION AND SYRIA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT OF 2012; Congressional Record Vol. 158, No. 118

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IRAN THREAT REDUCTION AND SYRIA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT OF 2012

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speech of

HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

of maryland

in the house of representatives

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference

agreement for \[H.R. 1905\](https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1905), the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human

Rights Act of 2012, a bill of which I am a cosponsor. In addition to

imposing sanctions on anyone found to be guilty of committing or

contributing to the repression or abuse of the human rights of the

Syrian people, this measure also continues the congressional efforts to

apply pressure to the government of Iran for its nuclear enrichment

activities.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the president announced the application of new

sanctions on the Iranian oil industry and on Chinese and Iraqi banks

for helping Iran to circumvent the global sanctions regime. These

sanctions are a part of an escalating series of penalties against Iran.

In June, the U.S. imposed a round of sanctions targeting any foreign

country that buys Iranian oil. Then, in early July, the EU, a major

market for Iranian oil, put in place a complete embargo of oil imports

from the country.

Since the effort began, Iranian oil production has declined by a

million barrels a day, its exports have fallen by about 50 percent and

its currency has plunged more than 40 percent against the dollar.

Today, the House meets to further tighten the sanctions on Iran's

energy, shipping and insurance sectors. This package of sanctions will

be the most comprehensive passed to date. Virtually all of Iran's

energy, financial, and transportation sectors will be subject to U.S.

sanctions and any company that does business in these sectors will run

the risk of losing access to U.S. markets.

The economic sanctions imposed on Iran have succeeded in bringing the

Iranians to the negotiating table. It remains to be seen whether the

Iranians are simply engaged in stall-tactics or are willing to end

their effort to produce weapons-grade nuclear material.

As President Obama has made clear, it is unacceptable for Iran to

develop a nuclear weapon. The U.N. Security Council has passed numerous

resolutions demanding that Iran comply with the Nuclear

Nonproliferation Treaty and suspend its nuclear enrichment activities.

The IAEA has repeatedly found Iran to be in violation of the U.N.

resolutions.

A nuclear-armed Iran would pose a grave threat to the State of

Israel, a country the President of Iran has stated should \\\`\\\`be wiped

off the map.'' A nuclear Iran could also trigger a nuclear-arms race in

the Middle East that would further destabilize an already volatile

region. It is in the national security interests of the United States

to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

By most accounts, the sanctions passed by Congress have ratcheted up

pressure on the Iranian government. But Iran continues to increase its

stockpile of enriched uranium. This bi-partisan measure is necessary to

give the President additional tools to penalize the Iranian regime for

its continual refusal to heed the objections of the international

community.

I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of this conference

agreement.

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