Young Joins Bill to Require Congressional Vote Before Any Iran Sanctions Relief is Granted

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) introduced the Iran Sanctions Relief Review Act of 2021, a bill that would enable Congress to approve—or block—any Administration effort to suspend or terminate U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime. 

“The removal of sanctions against Iran without substantial, verifiable commitments by the regime to halt its nuclear enrichment program, as well as its support for terrorist proxies and its ballistic missile program, would simply be rewarding bad behavior. This bill is essential to avoid repeating mistakes of the past by ensuring that Congress is involved. The United States must signal to our allies and partners in the region that we are firmly opposed to the Iranian regime’s malign activities and that we intend to negotiate from a position of strength,” said Senator Young.

“It is critical that Congress proactively serve as a check on the Biden Administration’s irresponsible and dangerous appeasement efforts, especially as Iran’s terror-sponsoring regime continues to back aggression against Americans abroad. The United States cannot fall victim again to Tehran’s blackmail, bribery, and extortion by giving into its demands for sanctions relief. My legislation will ensure that Congress will have its say before the Biden Administration takes actions that jeopardize the security of the United States, Israel, and our Arab partners in the Middle East,” said Senator Hagerty.

Even as the Iranian regime continues to support terrorism, regional militancy, missile proliferation, cyber attacks, and other forms of aggression—including rocket attacks by Iran-backed militias targeting U.S. forces in Iraq—the Biden Administration last week indicated that it wants to negotiate with Tehran to relieve sanctions on the Iranian regime and reenter the flawed nuclear deal. This legislation builds on the precedent of a 2017 bipartisan law, supported by Senator Young, that empowers Congress to vote to support or block Russian sanctions relief, and applies identical congressional review procedure to any future Iran sanctions relief. In effect, the bill would prevent the Administration from rolling back sanctions in exchange for advancing negotiations or reentering the deal without first securing strong congressional support.

The bill is supported by 20 original co-sponsors, including Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).