Durbin Calls For Congressional Review Of Trump Administration’s Deal With Iran

Durbin Calls For Congressional Review Of Trump Administration's Deal With Iran

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor in which he criticized the Trump Administration's vague framework to end the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Durbin warned that the preliminary agreement fails to address critical issues such as Iran's nuclear program and support for terrorist proxies.

Durbin began by recalling Republican Senators' outspoken opposition to and undermining of President Obama's Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015. U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) sent a letter signed by 46 other Republican Senators to Iranian leadership during the height of JCPOA negotiations to emphasize that the deal would be considered "nothing more than an executive agreement between President Obama and Ayatollah Khameni" without congressional approval.

Further, Durbin noted that critics of the JCPOA claimed the deal was weak and provided Iran with undue relief from sanctions. However, as Durbin explained, the JCPOA contained much stronger restrictions on Iran's nuclear capabilities than President Trump's current proposal.

"I want to take a moment to reflect on a rather infamous letter that was sent 11 years ago by the junior Senator from Arkansas to the leaders in Iran. The letter was signed by 46 of his fellow Republican Senators. What did it say? It incredibly warned Iranian leaders about entering into any nuclear agreement with the Obama Administration without the approval of Congress," Durbin began. "Two months after this letter was sent, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act with broad bipartisan support…This law, which we passed 11 years ago, requires any nuclear agreement with Iran to be sent to Congress within five days for review and a potential privileged vote of approval or disapproval within 30 days. This law is still very much applicable today."

"Republican opponents of the Obama deal in Congress said it was weak, that it awarded Iran with sanctions relief, that it empowered the Revolutionary Guard, and it weakened American security. In reality, the JCPOA included some of the most intrusive inspections ever agreed upon…Ultimately, the JCPOA severely restricted Iran's enrichment capabilities at lower levels, notably extending any nuclear weapon breakout time," Durbin said.

Durbin reprimanded President Trump for withdrawing from the JCPOA in 2018, leading to Iran's significant expansion of its enrichment capabilities. Now, after months of flimsy justifications for this war, the Trump Administration is attempting to navigate peace talks that seemingly will result in weaker protections against the proliferation of Iran's nuclear capabilities than what was outlined in the JCPOA.

"Now, after nearly four months of hostilities, after an attack on Iran by the United States without support of any allies beyond Israel, we have reached a point where we have spent billions of dollars, 13 American service members have given their lives, and the global economy held hostage-what do we have to show for it?" Durbin asked.

"Remember when he first started this war, alongside Israel, back in February? The President gave several different rationales: destroying Iran's military capabilities was one of his goals. Ending Iran's nuclear ambitions was another; regime change; even liberating the Iranian people. On each of these issues, we have seen little or no progress," Durbin continued.

"Instead, President Trump seems to have signed an ambiguous deal with terms far more favorable to Iran and more vague than Obama's JCPOA. Iran is emerging from Trump's ill-conceived war with an ever more emboldened group of belligerents in charge, with the Iranian people continuing to suffer. These regime hardliners suddenly have a new way to blackmail the United States… They can bomb American and allied targets in the region and continue to cause mayhem in the Strait of Hormuz with their proxies. The Iranians are in a stronger position today than when we attacked initially. They even seem to have blackmailed their way into a $300 billion reconstruction fund commitment from unspecified sources," Durbin said.

Durbin concluded his remarks by reiterating that the conflict must come to an end but any agreement between the U.S. and Iran must be reviewed by Congress.

"It's a lot easier to start a war than it is to end one. We should not be risking any further American lives and taxpayer dollars on this unnecessary, unconstitutional war. But let me be as clear as the junior Senator from Arkansas and his 46 colleagues were 11 years ago: the terms of any nuclear agreement with Iran must come to Congress for review as required by the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act. The requirements under this law are not waivable or open to interpretation-no matter who the President maybe," Durbin said.

"I look forward to working with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to hold President Trump to the same standard they held President Obama to 11 years ago" Durbin concluded his speech.

Video of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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