SCHNEIDER STATEMENT ON MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN U.S AND IRAN

Lincolnshire, IL - Today, Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement after President Trump signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran:

"President Trump is now the first U.S. President to officially sign a surrender agreement, made even more of a disgrace by the fact that he unilaterally started this war without the support of Congress or the American people.

"When President Trump began this war 111 days ago, I called on Speaker Johnson to immediately bring Congress back into session. I also called on the Administration to 'provide Congress with comprehensive classified briefings to understand the threat that justified today's actions, the goals of the operation, and the strategy for achieving these goals.' I said at the time that we need public hearings and debate so that the American people would know why they were being asked to risk our servicemembers lives and pay higher prices at the pump.

"From the beginning, it was clear that the President and his Administration went in without a clear plan and refused to seek authorization from Congress or inform the American people. Throughout the first weeks of the war, President Trump, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, and Secretary of State Rubio repeatedly claimed they went to war to destroy Iran's missile capabilities, eliminate its Navy, block its path to a nuclear weapon, end the regime's support for terrorist proxies, and empower the Iranian people to free themselves. None of these goals are yet realized.

"We all want to bring this conflict to a swift conclusion. However, it is beyond outrageous that President Trump has signed a secret agreement with Iran, going into immediate effect, before presenting it to Congress for review, as required by law. The terms conceded to Iran represent an unacceptable capitulation without achieving any of our objectives. Instead, this agreement will facilitate the rebuilding of Iran's missile and drone programs and strengthen the regime's support of proxy terrorist groups, ensuring Iran has the strategic depth necessary to restart and defend its nuclear program.

"President Trump and Vice President Vance have agreed to a deal that immediately gives Iran hundreds of billions of dollars, the ability to freely sell its crude oil and petrochemicals, and invaluable access to the international banking system. It also, unconscionably, pays $300 billion in reparations to the world's number one state sponsor of terror, posing grave danger to our interests, allies and partners.

"The Administration must bring this agreement to Congress, as stipulated by the Iranian Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, and as Secretary Rubio has promised to me in an open hearing of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Congress must ensure that any agreement addresses our security concerns and protects our national interests. Unless the agreement is changed to actually close and permanently block Iran's path to nuclear weapons, I will vote against it."