Russia Sells Iran "Sophisticated Air-Defense System"; Senate Comm. Takes Up Legislation To Review Iran Nuke Deal
Russian air defense missile system |
The House reconvened at 10 AM today. Today the House may consider the following bills:
H.R. 650 — "To amend the Truth in Lending Act to modify the definitions of a mortgage originator and a high-cost mortgage."
H.R. 685 — "To amend the Truth in Lending Act to improve upon the definitions provided for points and fees in connection with a mortgage transaction."
S. Con. Res. 11 — "Setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2016 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2017 through 2025."
Yesterday, the House passed:
H.R. 1259 (401-1) — "To provide for an application process for interested parties to apply for an area to be designated as a rural area, and for other purposes."
H.R. 1265 (401-2) — "To apply the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection."
H.R. 1367 (Voice Vote) — "To amend the Expedited Funds Availability Act to clarify the application of that Act to American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands."
H.R. 1480 (401-1) — "To ensure access to certain information for financial services industry regulators, and for other purposes."
H.R. 299 (Voice Vote) — "To amend the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to authorize privately insured credit unions to become members of a Federal home loan bank, and for other purposes."
H.R. 601 (voice Vote) — "To amend the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to provide an exception to the annual privacy notice requirement."
Today, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) contrasted House Republicans’ pro-growth, balanced budget with the president’s spending plan that would raise taxes on middle-class families. Speaker Boehner said, 'The House remains focused on the people’s priorities – starting with jobs and the economy. We've passed a reasonable, responsible plan that would balance the budget for the American people, which means more jobs and a better economy. And this week we’ll pass a series of bills to stop the IRS abuses and help hard-working taxpayers.
'Meanwhile, the president’s notion of ‘middle-class economics’ would actually raise taxes on America’s middle class. Even liberals admit the president’s budget means higher taxes for middle-class Americans. And the fact is, incomes for middle-class Americans have declined since President Obama has taken office.
'I think we've got a better approach on the Republican side. Reduce the tax burden that American families have to pay and raise their incomes through a better economy and better jobs.'
The Washington Post reports, "An analysis by the Tax Policy Center, 'U.S. households with average incomes -- the 20 percent taking in between $49,086 and $84,055, to be exact -- would on average see an increase' in their tax bills under the president’s budget."
The Senate reconvened at 10 AM today. The Senate then recessed between 10:30 and 11:30 so senators could attend a briefing on the framework for a nuclear agreement with Iran.
If an agreement is reached, votes are possible today and tomorrow on amendments to the House-passed reform of Medicare payments for doctors (H.R. 2).
Yesterday, the Senate voted 95-0 to confirm Alfred Bennett to be United States district judge for the Southern District of Texas.
CNN reports, “Russia has lifted a ban on the sale of a sophisticated air-defense system to Iran, drawing criticism from the United States and Israel. ‘The big concern in the West ... and especially in Israel is that these Russian missiles will be able to help shield Iran's nuclear facilities from any future airstrikes,’ said CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance.
“Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the move Monday to end the ban on shipping the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Iran was prompted by the recent progress in talks over Tehran's nuclear program. The ban had been in place since 2010. . . . The decision was also applauded by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who called the move ‘a step in the right direction.’”
The AP adds, “The United States criticized President Vladimir Putin's decision on Monday to lift a five-year ban on delivery of the missile system, which would give the Islamic republic's military a strong deterrent against any air attack . . . . Back in 2010, Russia had linked its decision to freeze the S-300 delivery to the U.N. sanctions, but Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued on Monday that the decision was taken voluntarily as part of efforts to encourage progress in talks.”
According to CNN, “The Israeli government, which opposes the preliminary agreement that was reached on Iran's nuclear program earlier this month, said the Russian move was a troubling sign. ‘Even as Iran disavows article after article in the framework agreement that was announced last week, the international community is beginning to ease restrictions on it,’ Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a statement. ‘This is the direct result of the legitimacy that Iran is receiving from the nuclear deal being made with it.’ . . . ‘Instead of demanding that Iran desist from the terrorist activity that it is carrying out in the Middle East and throughout the world, it is being allowed to arm itself with advanced weapons that will only increase its aggression,’ he said.”
The Wall Street Journal editors are also critical of this development. They write, “Vladimir Putin blew a geopolitical raspberry at the Obama Administration on Monday by authorizing the sale of Russia’s S-300 missile system to Iran. The Kremlin is offering the mullahs an air-defense capability so sophisticated that it would render Iran’s nuclear installations far more difficult and costly to attack should Tehran seek to build a bomb. . . .
“The origins of this Russian sideswipe go back to 2007, when Moscow and Tehran signed an $800 million contract for delivery of five S-300 squadrons. But in 2010 then-President Dmitry Medvedev stopped the sale under pressure from the U.S. and Israel. The United Nations Security Council the same year passed an arms-embargo resolution barring the sale of major conventional systems to the Tehran regime.
“That resolution is still in effect, but the Kremlin no longer feels like abiding by it. With the latest negotiating deadline passed and without any nuclear agreement in place, Moscow will dispatch the S-300s ‘promptly’ to the Islamic Republic, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
“So much for the White House hope that the West could cordon off Russia’s aggression against Ukraine while working with Mr. Putin on other matters. Russia and the West could disagree about Crimea and eastern Ukraine, the thinking went, but Washington could still solicit the Kremlin’s cooperation on the Iranian nuclear crisis.”
The WSJ editors conclude, “Now Mr. Obama wants to delegate responsibility for enforcing his nuclear deal with Iran to the United Nations, which means that the Russians will have a say—and a veto—there, too. Think of this missile sale as a taste of what’s to come.”
This news only reinforces the importance of Congress having the ability to review and vote on this nuclear agreement with Iran. Today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is marking up a bipartisan bill to ensure Congress gets to examine any final deal made by the Obama administration.
As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said today, “The legislation is supported by a large number of Democrats. It’s no wonder why. The bill is aimed at giving Congress and the American people a say in reviewing and approving an international agreement with such wide-ranging consequences. And the American people should have a say.
“The interim agreement we saw from the Administration would not only allow Iran to continue to enrich uranium and retain thousands of centrifuges, but also allow it to continue researching and developing even more advanced centrifuges. In other words, it seems more like an agreement built around Iran’s terms, rather than a plan to advance what should be our national goal: ending its nuclear program.
“It’s a matter of great concern not just to our country, but to the entire world. The concerns of our allies and partners with regard to Iran’s aggressive behavior throughout the Middle East were made clear when I recently led a Senate delegation to Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
“This is a gravely important matter. And the American people aren’t just spectators here. They and the representatives they elect deserve a seat at the table too.”
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