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Another House Dem Opposes Iran Deal

Alcee Hastings
Alcee Hastings / AP
August 13, 2015

 

Another Democratic congressman came out against the Iranian nuclear deal on Thursday, saying it "allows Iran to remain a nuclear threshold state" while benefiting from billions of dollars in sanctions relief that will help the regime fund its global terror network.

Rep. Alcee Hastings (D., Fla.) is the eleventh Democrat in Congress to publicly oppose the nuclear agreement. In a column for the Palm Beach Post, Hastings wrote that he would also introduce a bill authorizing the president to use military force to block Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

After careful review, I have decided that I cannot support this deal.

The goal of the recently concluded negotiations was to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The negotiators worked diligently, but in the end, the JCPOA allows Iran to remain a nuclear threshold state while simultaneously reaping the benefits of relief from international sanctions. […]

Just last month, the U.N. Security Council agreed to Resolution 2231, endorsing the JCPOA. Among other things, the resolution lifts the ban on conventional arms sales to Iran after five years, and gives Iran the authority to restart its nuclear-capable ballistic missile development program within eight years. This poses a threat to the U.S. and to our allies. […]

All the while, billions of dollars will be injected into the Iranian economy as sanctions are lifted. Some portion of this money is likely to be directed toward state-sponsored terrorist groups, such as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, Houthi and Hamas.

Hastings joined 10 other Democratic members of Congress who have publicly announced their opposition to the deal, according to the Jewish Press:

Hastings joins his Democratic colleagues in the House of Representatives who have announced they will vote against the JCPOA: Rep. Grace Meng (NY) Rep. Juan Vargas (CA), Rep. Albio Sires(NJ), Rep. Kathleen Rice (NY), Rep. Nita Lowey (NY), Rep. Steve Israel (NY), Rep. Ted Deutch (FL), Rep. Eliot Engel (NY), Rep. Brad Sherman, (CA) and Rep. David Scott (Georgia), who came out quietly but unequivocally against the deal in mid-July.

Published under: Iran Nuclear Deal