Taking A Stand Against Iranian Aggression

On April 13, Iran launched a direct attack on the state of Israel, firing more than 300 missiles and drones at the nation. This is the first time Iran has directly attacked Israel, marking a dangerous escalation in a conflict that previously relied on terrorist proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. 

Thankfully, Israeli and American forces, along with other allies, shot down 99 percent of the missiles launched by Iran; however, the threat of another attack looms large. That’s why I joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives this week to pass 17 bills condemning, sanctioning, and holding Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable for their evil actions.

With these bills, we made clear this week that the United States stands with Israel in their fight for freedom and a future safe from Hamas and Iranian aggression. My hope is that the Senate will pass them quickly and send them to President Biden’s desk to become law.

In the meantime, you can learn more about the bills we passed here:

• No U.S. Financing for Iran Act (H.R. 5921) to effectively cut off the Iranian Government from the U.S. financial system. Additionally, this measure would prevent the Export-Import Bank as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from financing projects associated with the Iranian Government.

• Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act (H.R. 5923) to target and expand sanctions on the small, independent Chinese oil refiners driving Chinese purchases of Iranian crude.

• Holding Iranian Leaders Accountable Act (H.R. 6245) to expose the finances of Iran’s authoritarian leaders and crack down on financial institutions that maintain accounts in connection with those funds.

• Iran Sanctions Accountability Act (H.R. 6015) to close loopholes through which Iran could divert humanitarian aid to fund terrorism and require the president to prescribe regulations to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches the intended population in need.

• H.R. 6408 to revoke the tax-exempt status of entities that have been found to be providing material support to terrorist organizations.

• Solidify Iran Sanctions Act (H.R. 3033) to make permanent the sanctions that restrict funding for Iran’s energy and weapons sectors, curtailing the regime’s ability to finance terrorism and develop its nuclear program.

• No Technology for Terror Act (H.R. 6603) to make permanent existing U.S. export control restrictions that prohibit the transfer of American made technology to Iran.

• Strengthening Tools to Counter the Use of Human Shields Act (H.R. 5917) to improve the implementation and enforcement of sanctions against terrorist organizations and other bad actors that use innocent civilians as human shields.

• No Paydays to Hostage Takers Act (H.R. 5826) to impose sanctions and strict penalties on Iran and any other hostile governments or individuals who engage in hostage-taking or wrongfully detain United States nationals.

• Illicit Captagon Trafficking Suppression Act (H.R. 4681) to impose sanctions on foreign persons who facilitate or profit from the production or proliferation of Captagon, an addictive drug produced and sold to fund terrorist activities.

• H. Res. 288 to urge the European Union to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

• H. Res. 883 to express the sense of the House of Representatives that the slogan, ‘‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’’ is antisemitic and its use must be condemned.

• A resolution to condemn Iran’s unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel.

• Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act (H.R. 6046) to designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization and to impose sanctions on any foreign persons or entities associated with the group.

• Iran Counterterrorism Act (H.R. 6323) to enable Congress to block sanctions waivers for the Iranian regime until it ends its support for international acts of terrorism.

• Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act (H.R. 4691) to enable Congress to review, and if necessary block, any effort by the Biden administration to terminate U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime.

• H.R. 5947 to terminate President Biden’s waiver used to release $6 billion of Iranian funds that were being held in South Korea to Qatar.