The U.S. House passed a proposal championed by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., that “would sanction illicit purchases of Iranian oil and hold the regime’s enablers accountable.”
Back in June, Rubio brought out the “Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act” and his office offered some of the reasons behind the new bill.
“According to reports, as of February 2023, Chinese refineries were processing, refining, or engaging with approximately 1.2 million barrels of Iranian oil per day. Iranian oil sales to China’s genocidal regime fund the Ayatollah’s ability to repress Iranian protestors,” Rubio’s office noted.
The bill “sets a statement of policy that the United States should deny Iran the ability to engage in destabilizing activities; imposes sanctions against entities that engage in the illicit Iranian oil trade, such as through ship-to-ship transfers of oil, entities that own refineries the processes Iranian oil, as well as entities that are included on the Treasury Department’s SDN list; and requires a report from the administration on increase of exports of petroleum and petroleum products from Iran.”
“As the regime in Tehran continues to enrich itself through the sale of sanctioned oil, we must ensure that U.S. sanctions on all individuals and entities linked to the illicit trade of Iranian oil are rigorously enforced,” said Rubio.
U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-NH, and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., are the original co-sponsors Rubio’s proposal.
“We must do everything that we can to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon and stop its support of terrorism. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen sanctions on Iranian oil – a key revenue source for the regime – and make the United States and our allies, including Israel, safer,” said Hassan.
“Iran has been unrelenting in its pursuit of nuclear weapons and its support for terrorist groups. To achieve these goals, Iran relies on funds from illicit oil sales that violate U.S. sanctions. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen sanctions on ports and refineries that receive and process Iranian oil and will help reign in Iran’s ability to engage in destabilizing activities,” said Rosen.
The bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-NY, introduced the bill in the U.S. House with Moskowtiz as the main co-sponsor.
“The SHIP Act will unequivocally sink Iran’s aspirations of regional dominance and poke holes in their trade relationships. This legislation should serve as a warning shot across the bow for Iran and China and I am hopeful that every member of Congress will show support for this commonsense measure,” said Lawler.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran funds terror and hate across the world through their international petroleum exports. This legislation will impose additional sanctions and deny Iran the ability to destabilize activities across the region, fund terrorist groups, violate human rights, and commit acts of oppression. All foreign adversaries better think twice if they believe they can finance and facilitate terror and get away with it,” said Moskowitz.
Since then, more than 230 other members of the House signed on as co-sponsors.
The House cleared the bill on a 342-69 vote last week with U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., joining 68 Democrats in opposing the proposal. U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., was the only member of the Florida delegation to vote against the bill.
Lawler and Moskowitz released a joint statement at the end of last week after the House passed the bill.
“The SHIP Act is a critical step in preventing Iran from continuing to fund terror across the Middle East. We are proud to see this legislation receive widespread, bipartisan support here on Capitol Hill. It’s critical that we work to hold America’s foreign adversaries accountable for their actions in supporting terrorist organizations across the globe. The SHIP Act sends a clear and strong message to bad actors like China, Russia, and others – do not help Iran avoid sanctions and assist them in their funding of terror, or face the consequences. That’s a message the Senate should be able to get behind. We look forward to its passage through the Senate,” said Lawler and Moskowitz.
Rubio urged the Senate to follow suit and pass his bill.
“Our nation’s foreign adversaries must know they will face consequences for empowering other regimes that are anti-democratic and anti-American. We must enact and then rigorously enforce this bill so that those who are enriching themselves through the sale of sanctioned oil, or linked with its illicit trade, are held accountable,” said Rubio.
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., also called on the Senate to pass the proposal.
“We must hold genocidal regimes, like Iran and Communist China, accountable and put a stop to their funding of terror across the globe. The SHIP Act is a no-brainer. The U.S. can’t depend on the Biden-era strategy that takes these murderous regimes’ word at face value any longer. I applaud the House for the passage of this important legislation and urge my colleagues to pass it immediately upon arrival,” said Scott.
