Iran's Recent Actions Reinforce Need For Congressional Review Any Obama Admin Agreement With Tehran

Iran fired on, boarded and seized the
MV Maersk Tigris cargo ship while transiting
the Strait of Hormuz in International waters.

Today in Washington, D.C. - April 29, 2015:
Today, at 11 AM, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will address a Joint Session of Congress. He is the first Japanese leader to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress.

The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today. Following an hour of morning business, senators proceeded to the House for a Joint Meeting of Congress for an address by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

After the Joint Meeting, the Senate resumed consideration of H.R. 1191, the vehicle for the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015. Yesterday the Senate rejected an amendment to the bill offered by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), which would have required an agreement with Iran to be considered a treaty by a vote of 39-57.

The House reconvened at 9 AM today and at 9:04 PM recessed so it could reconvene in Joint Meeting with the Senate for the purpose of receiving Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The House reconvened as a Joint Meeting of Congress at 10:59 AM. As of this article the Joint Session is still in session. It is expected to dissolve sometime after Noon. A video of the Prime Minister's speech will be shared later today.

The House is expected today to consider taking up H.R. 2029 — "Making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes."

Yesterday, the House addressed several naming and administrative bills related to Government or Indian lands which are not reported here but can be reviewed online at the Office of the Clerk.

ABC News reported yesterday, “Iranian patrol vessels fired warning shots at the MV Maersk Tigris, a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel, as it transited through the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon confirmed today.

“The ship has been boarded by members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy as it heads deeper into Iranian waters, a Pentagon official said. The Maersk Line said in a statement that according to its latest information it is being escorted by Iranian patrol boats towards the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. . . .

“In a statement, Maersk Line said the Maersk Tigris was in international waters ‘when it was approached and seized by Iranian patrol boats.’”

The Washington Post added, “The U.S. military, after receiving a distress call from the Tigris, sent surveillance aircraft to monitor the situation and ordered the destroyer USS Farragut to head toward the Maersk Tigris. The Farragut was in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday evening.”

And according to CNN, “A U.S.-flagged ship was recently intercepted by an Iran Revolutionary Guard naval patrol, the U.S. Navy revealed to CNN Tuesday. The incident occurred on Friday when four Iranian naval vessels surrounded the U.S.-flagged Maersk Kensington in the Strait of Hormuz. . . . A senior U.S. military official told CNN that ‘the Iranians encircled the Kensington and followed the ship on its course for a period of time before withdrawing and breaking away.’”

Speaking about the incident on the Senate floor this morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “Yesterday, we were reminded yet again of Iran’s determination to use every element of national power to expand its sphere of influence and undermine international law. What we saw in the Strait of Hormuz simply underlines the danger posed by Iran, along with the pressing need for a clear-eyed understanding of the Iranian threat. It’s appropriate, then, that the Senate will resume consideration of the bipartisan Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act later today.”

As he said Tuesday, “Iran’s nuclear program is only one aspect of its efforts to confront the West across the full spectrum of warfare: through public diplomacy, through its support for terrorism and proxies, through its missile capabilities, and through a modernization of its conventional forces.

“Any sanctions relief from a nuclear agreement would give Iran more funds to conduct these and other activities; so Congress must have a say. . . . Passing the bipartisan Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act is key to ensuring that happens.

“And in the process of doing so, we’ll ensure the voices of all Americans are heard with the kind of robust amendment process I mentioned on the floor last week.”

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Tags: Iran, Iran fired on, boarded and seized, MV Maersk Tigris, cargo ship, transiting, the Strait of Hormuz. International waters. Iranian threats, waterway, Obama administration, Nule Deal, Congress, Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, Joint session of Congress, Japan, Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!