Kirk, Schneider Play Role in Iran Sanctions

Both Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) had a hand crafting the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act which passed the United States House of Representatives by a 400-20 vote Wednesday in Washington.

The bill, which will now go to the United States Senate for final passage, contains a provision which was specifically added by Schneider and another first penned into a Senate bill by Kirk before being incorporated into the House version.

As part of his work on the House Foreign Relations Committee, Schneider added an amendment requiring an assessment of current sanctions against Iran to determine their effectiveness.

“The sanctions have had a crippling effect on the Iranian economy, but as Iran continues its nuclear program, we must be able to accelerate the pace and increase the intensity of,” Schneider said in a news release. “This bill makes important improvements to existing sanctions and allows us to further isolate the Iranian economy as necessary to achieve our objectives.” 

Kirk and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced a bill in the Senate in May aimed at punishing not only Iran, but countries who try to use foreign currency to avert those penalties. The provision is intended to cut off any possible back door entry for Iran to the United States Banking system. 

 “The message to Asian banks and clearinghouses is clear—if you conduct a euro transaction for Iran, you will be held accountable,” Kirk said in a news release. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to swiftly pass a bipartisan sanctions bill that dries up all Iranian government revenue and reserves before the regime can achieve nuclear critical capability.”

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