10.19.23

Hoeven Outlines U.S. Support for Israel, Calls on Biden Administration to Reinstate Maximum Pressure on Iran

WASHINGTON – During remarks delivered on the floor of the U.S. Senate today, Senator John Hoeven outlined the United States’ continued commitment to supporting its ally Israel. At the same time, Hoeven called on the Biden administration to end negotiations with Iran and reinstate a policy of maximum pressure on the regime, including imposing sanctions without waivers. The senator also reinforced these points at a press conference today with his Senate Republican colleagues.

“The images emerging from Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist assault are shocking in the extreme. Our hearts are with the Israeli people in the wake of these atrocities, and all of us here in America need to stand strongly, firmly and united for our friend and ally Israel. Here in Congress, there is strong bipartisan support to stand with Israel against Hamas,” said Hoeven. “Standing with Israel also means standing against the largest state sponsor of terror in the world, and that is Iran.

“Many of my colleagues and I have warned for years that giving money to Iran, letting Iran sell oil, and giving Iran access to weapons would destabilize the entire region. And sure enough, over the last decade, we have watched Iran extract concessions in one negotiation after another while creating chaos in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and beyond. And now we see the hand of Iran behind Hamas and this horrific assault on Israel.

"We must undercut Iran’s ability to work through its proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah that pose such a danger to the Israeli people and others as well. Concessions and waivers to the Iranian regime provide the resources for Iran to develop an infrastructure of terror across the Middle East, and the cash flow to Iran must be cut off.… Ultimately, we must return to a policy of maximum pressure and severe sanctions that holds Iran accountable for its actions.”

Hoeven continues working to advance policies that will contain Iran’s efforts to spread violence and hate among its neighbors. To this end, the senator is supporting legislation to:

  • Freeze the $6 billion in Iranian funds now held in Qatar, including:
    • A bill sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to statutorily reimpose sanctions on the funds, as well as a similar bill from Senator Roger Marshall.
    • A bill sponsored by Senator Tim Scott to freeze the funds and investigate all high-value Iranian assets around the world that are currently blocked by U.S. sanctions.
  • Codify “maximum pressure” sanctions on Iran, including bills to:
    • Maintain sanctions until the State Department can certify that Iran has stopped their efforts to assassinate U.S. government officials and Iranian dissidents living in the U.S., as well as bills to:
    • Enable Congress to approve or block any effort by the Biden administration to suspend or terminate U.S. sanctions against the Iranian regime.
    • Sanction illicit purchases of Iranian oil and hold the regime’s enablers accountable.
    • Require the administration review as a treaty, any proposed new nuclear deal with Iran.
    • Prohibit the Biden administration from waiving Congressional sanctions that prohibit cooperation on Iran’s nuclear program.

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