Please call your United States Senators Today
Congress must do all it can to turn off the financial spigot of the Iranian Regime which is Hamas' sponsor - and the greatest state sponsor of terrorism in the world
Stop Iran Now/The Washington Examiner
November 27, 2023
BACKGROUND
THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER WRITES
"One of President Joe Biden’s most inexcusable foreign policy failings is his refusal to get tough economically against the radical Islamist state of Iran. Congress, rightly, seems on the verge of forcing him to punish the mullahs. It should go ahead and do so.
The president has tried fecklessly to cajole Iran back into former President Barack Obama’s fanciful and dangerous nuclear deal, which always lacked adequate verification. It hardly pressures Iran even to pretend to limit its use of nuclear technology but nevertheless granted the mullahs access to tens of billions of dollars in increased worldwide trade. He agreed to release $6 billion to Iran, although he has, thankfully, been forced to refreeze this in light of Iran’s support for mass murder by Hamas.
Still, on Nov. 14, he waived sanctions in a way that provides Iran with more than $10 billion in revenue from electricity generation. He repeatedly responds to Iranian-backed attacks on U.S. citizens, including service members in the Middle East, with weak, barely tit-for-tat airstrikes against Iranian proxies. Iran’s proxy murdered Americans in Israel on Oct 7. Where is the U.S. response? Biden has also let lapse an international embargo against Iran’s missile and drone programs.
According to Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), “Since President Biden took office, Iran has profited nearly $80 billion from oil sales alone.”
Yet Iran is the major sponsor, to the tune of nearly a billion dollars annually, of all three of the Middle East’s most active terrorist groups, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, all of which are regularly firing missiles at our ally Israel (along with plenteous other deadly mischief).
Even before Hamas’s Oct. 7 atrocities, Iranian-backed groups had launched 83 attacks on Americans during the Biden presidency, but our president fired back only four times.
Since Oct. 7, Iranian-backed militias have attacked U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq and Syria at least 58 times, wounding at least 59 American military personnel.
Because Biden won’t stand up to Iran voluntarily, a large bipartisan coalition in Congress is trying to force him to do so. By a 342-69 vote margin, including a 133-69 vote in favor among Biden’s own Democrats, the House passed the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act. This SHIP Act would force the president to impose sanctions on all owners of vessels, ports, or refineries that carry, receive shipments of, or process petroleum products originating in Iran.
So far, 27 senators, including, alas, only three Democrats, have co-sponsored companion legislation in their chamber, and it seems likely to pick up legislative momentum. Biden ought to welcome the legislation, as it would be able to say the sanctions express the public’s overwhelming will. Still, there is no good reason for any senator to oppose the bill, and if just 18 of 51 Democrats join all 49 Senate Republicans in support of it, the bill would enjoy a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
Why are they waiting? War across the Middle East, mostly provoked by Iran, makes hobbling the ayatollah and his proxies the highest of priorities.
When the Senate returns after Thanksgiving, it should immediately pass the SHIP Act unanimously or at least by a big margin. The United States should do all in its power to turn off the financial spigot for Iran’s state-supported terrorism."
PLAN OF ACTION
Any senator looking out for American interests and American values should support this legislation. It should be a "no-brainer."
These are the senators that have co-sponsored the SHIP ACT
SENATOR Marco Rubio (R-FL) Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Barrasso (R-WY), Katie Boyd Britt (R-AL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Thune (R-SD, Senate Republican Whip), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Roger Marshall (R-KS), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Tedd Budd (R-NC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Eric Schmitt (R-MO).
If these are your senators - please call to thank them for their important leadership and let them know you want to help ensure passage.
In any event, Everyone should contact their own senators and urge them to support the SHIP Act.... (https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm).
Also, please consider calling other senators with particular focus on the following:
New York
We ask our ambassadors in New York and others to put pressure on Senator Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D- NY) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). It is surprising that Schumer who represents himself as the schomer of the Jewish people, and who gave an empassioned speech at the 10/7 rally, is not the one spearheading this legislation in the first place. Although Gillibrand supported the disastrous JCPOA which legitimized, enriched, emboldened and facilitated the nuclear ambitions of the Iranian Regime which is hellbent on the annihilation of Israel she has once again presents herself as a stalwart defender of the Jewish state. We hope this time her actions will match her words.
New Jersey
We ask our ambassadors in New Jersey and others to put pressure on Senato Bob Menendez (D New Jersey) and Senator Corey Booker (D New Jersey). Menendez is a former Foreign Relations Committee Head charged with the Iran portfolio and is intimately family with the destruction, devastation and danger that results from an enriched Iranian regime. Booker apparently has some common sense here as he was the only 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who opposed re-entry into a deal with Tehran.
Arizona
We ask our ambassadors in Arizona and others to put pressure on Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D Arizona) and Senator Mark Kelly (D Arizona) . Sinema fancy's herself a strong Israel supporter and has recently called on President Biden to transfer defensive weapons to Israel "to defend itself from terrorism". In a similar vain, one would think she would support measures designed to impede Iran's (and hence Hamas') funding. Kelly is a Navy veteran who must perhaps be reminded that Iran is responsible for the maiming and murder of hundreds of American servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan - and who continues to attack our forces in the Middle East on almost a daily basis.
Pennsylvania
We ask our ambassadors in Pennsylvania and others to put pressure on Senator John Fetterman (D Pennsylvania) and Robert Casey Jr. (D Pennsylvania) Senator Fetteran has been unwavering and passionate for his support for Israel and should be applauded - while also urged to support the SHIP Act.
Maryland
We ask our ambassadors in Maryland and others to contact Senator Ben Cardin (D Maryland) who has been a friend of Israel and was wise enough to oppose the JCPOA back in 2015. Please thank him for his continued support of Israel and the Jewish people - and ask him to continue his efforts to thwart the Obama/Biden appeasement and enrichment of Iran.
Georgia
We ask our ambassadors in Georgia to call out Senators Rafael Warnock (D Georgia) and John Osoff (D Georgia). Warnock who has a frightening history of making antisemitic remarks - describing the history of Reverand Louis Farrakhan as "important" and hosting virulent antisemites at his Church managed to convince Georgia voters that he was a changed man. This is his chance to prove it. Osoff is problematic in that he expects Israel to fight the war in Gaza - the most difficult type of war -- held to unprecedented standards to which no other army has been held in the course of human history. His comments to date suggest more concern about the "Palestinians" (75% who support the 10/7 massacre) than he does about the Israel and the Jewish people. Will he now double down and turn a blind eye to the billions of dollars that the Obama/Biden policies continue to pour into Iran's coffers - to the continued financing of the barbaric murder and brutal abduction of Israelis and Americans alike - to the continued attacks on American militia? Hopefully not if enough of you let him know you know - and you care!
Ohio
Senator Sherrod Brown must be called out for his continued efforts to continue to provide fuel to Hamas which will fuel their nefarious actions- enable them to murder Israeli soldiers- and perhaps more civilians. The entire US senate should be demanding the unconditional surrender by Hamas and the unconditional release of all hostages. He is only facilitating the war efforts of the ISIS Nazis who have waged war on the entire civilized world. Urge him to stop his nonsense and support the SHIP Act. In the words of Winston Churchill "an appeaser Is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."
Kentucky
We ask that you contact Senate Minority leader Mich McConnell and encourage his leadership on this critical issue.