Washington, DC – This week, Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) introduced the No Sanctions Relief for Terrorists Act, part of the Republican Study Committee’s Enforcing Maximum Pressure Initiative. Steil’s bill ensures that sanctions on Iran cannot be lifted unless the country stops funding terrorist activity.
“The Iranian regime is the largest State Sponsor of Terrorism in the world and has continued to finance terrorist proxies for more than four decades. Iran’s actions have endangered U.S. citizens, companies, and allies around the world,” said Steil. “No administration should repeat the errors of the Biden Administration. We must ban sanctions waivers that can enable the Iranian regime tofinance attacks on America and our allies.”
Background:
- In 2023, the Biden Administration allowed the Islamic Republic of Iran to access up to $10 billion in previously restricted funds using a sanctions waiver.
- This action occurred despite increasing terrorist activities and Iran’s role in funding and arming Hamas, including providing weapons used in the October 7th terrorist attack against Israel.
- Congressman Steil previously called on the Biden Administration to cease the use of this workaround and address why the administration saw fit to provide relief to the world’s largest State Sponsor of Terrorism.
- Congressman Steil joined his colleagues with the Republican Study Committee at a press conference Wednesday to introduce a package of bills that would restore maximum pressure on the Iranian Regime and protect the American people from terrorism.
- The No Sanctions Relief for Terrorists Act prevents any presidential administration from providing sanctions relief to individuals and entities in Iran sanctioned for terrorism unless the President could certify to Congress that Iran was no longer sponsoring terrorism.
- Specifically, the legislation would prevent the abuse of humanitarian waivers and licenses, as used under the Biden Administration, which allowed the administration to circumvent terrorism-related sanctions.
- This bill follows the restoration of significant sanctions on Iran by the Trump Administration.
- Video of the press conference can be found here.
