(Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) today hailed the passage by the House of Representatives of a bill to significantly increase U.S. economic sanctions on Iran, a measure that included two provisions authored by the Congressman. The legislation, entitled the Iran Counterproliferation Act (H.R. 1400), was adopted overwhelmingly by a vote of 397 to 16.

Ackerman, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, wrote provisions in the bill forbidding any U.S. government procurement from a firm that makes significant investments in Iran's petroleum sector, and allowing the president to impose sanctions not just on companies making proscribed investments in Iran, but on the corporate officers responsible for the investment decisions.

During debate of the legislation, Ackerman posed support for the sanctions legislation as the best way to avoid the necessity of military action against Iran.

"If you don’t want to see military force used to stop Iran’s nuclear program; if you hate the very idea of America attacking Iran’s nuclear program, then you’re for the bill" said Ackerman. "The official title is the Iran Counterproliferation Act. The proper title should be the “Stop the Iranian Bomb by Every Peaceful Means Possible Act.”"

Ackerman warned his colleagues that "we are running out of time."

"Nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran’s mullahs are not inevitable” the Congressman added. “But to prevent such an international security catastrophe we need to use every tool at our disposal now, while there is still time. The longer we wait, the greater the danger and difficulty of the challenge we will face. Now is the time to apply the absolute maximum diplomatic, political and economic pressure we can muster. H.R. 1400 will crank the pressure up and help us avoid having to choose between military action and an Iranian atomic bomb."

Ackerman has scheduled a Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee hearing on the issue of Iran sanctions for this Thursday at 10 a.m. in 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

###

Return to Gary's Homepage