House Casts Three Votes On Iran Deal

With the 14th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks as a backdrop, the House voted Friday to disapprove a plan that opponents said will give Iran the power to create a nuclear bomb and finance terrorism.

The House voted 269-162 against House Resolution 3461. The bill would have approved the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed by the United States and other countries on July 14.

All four members of Arkansas’ U.S. House delegation – Reps. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, French Hill, R-Little Rock, Steve Womack, R-Rogers and Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs – voted no on the bill.

Womack, who spoke on the floor Friday, said the plan would empower the Iranians.

“Mr. Speaker, over the last few days our nation has heard from its elected representatives on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, affectionately known as the Iran Nuclear Deal,” Womack said. “I stand here today to add my name to the list of members who recognize what a terrible deal this is and the grave danger a yes vote creates for humanity… This is not just a bad deal. It’s unconscionable that we would consider anything that leaves a path for Iran to possess a weapon, as this agreement does. A yes vote, Mr. Speaker, will be on the wrong side of history.”

Democratic supporters of the bill said it would allow the Obama administration to negotiate with the Iranian regime on its nuclear program and other issues.

The bill was supported by 162 Democrats, while 244 Republicans and 25 Democrats voted no. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. voted present.

On Thursday, the House voted 245-186 on a resolution saying that President Obama had not complied with a section of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015.

Both Hill and Westerman said the debate and issue created a national security and constitutional crisis.

“This Administration has a terrible habit of bypassing the Legislative Branch to impose its will on the American people. In an attempt to avoid this very situation with a potential Iranian Nuclear Deal, four months ago, Congress passed the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. It was supported by 177 House Democrats and was signed into law by the President. There is no ambiguity in the bill’s language; the State Department was required to turn over the entire nuclear agreement, including any agreements made between Iran and other parties. The President failed to comply with the law and once again is prepared to move forward with a major policy without Congressional approval,” Hill said.

“I do not understand how any member of Congress can agree to support a nuclear deal with such high stakes without having seen the deal in its entirety. This is extremely irresponsible, and I encourage my Democratic colleagues to stand with the Republicans and demand that the secret side deals be released so that we can do our jobs and fully review all the contents of the proposed nuclear deal.”

“The Obama Administration’s Iran Deal is a bad deal for the American people, putting our safety and security at risk. It is also a bad deal for our allies,” Westerman said. “Israel, one of our closest allies, is under direct threat from a nation whose stated goal is destruction of the Jewish state. In fact, the Ayatollah just reiterated his stance, stating, ‘Israel will not exist in the next 25 years.’ The administration’s implementation of the deal, aided by a small minority of Congressional Democrats, would put the Iranian regime one step closer to their stated goal. My recent visit to Israel, coupled with additional briefings, has confirmed my opposition to this deal that includes secret agreements that Congress is not privy to see. How can anyone support such a major agreement when Congress nor the administration know what is in the agreement? I will continue to stand in direct opposition to our president’s bargain with the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.”

The House also voted 247-186 to prevent Obama from lifting sanctions against Iran. Under the bill, the bill would seek to “suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran.”