This week, Florida’s two U.S. senators–Republicans Marco Rubio and Rick Scott–threw their support behind U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s, R-SC, “Revoke Iranian Funding Act.”
The Florida senators are part of the more than 20 Republican senators backing the bill to “rescind the general licenses that enabled the release of the $6 billion to Iran and prevent the Iranian regime from accessing and using the funds held in Qatar to finance terrorist attacks against Israel or any other nation” and which “directs the Treasury Secretary to study all high-value Iranian assets around the world that are currently blocked by U.S. sanctions and provide that information to Congress, ensuring Congress has the information necessary to enact further targeted legislation, if necessary.” U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-WV, and Krysten Sinema, I-Ariz., are also backing the proposal.
Tim Scott, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, offered his reasons for introducing the bill.
“The Biden administration’s decision to release $6 billion to Iran – the world’s leading state sponsor of terror – was a grave mistake that created a market for American hostages, emboldened our adversaries, and put a credit on the balance sheets of one of Hamas’s biggest backers,” he said. “In the wake of Hamas’s horrific attacks on Israel, it has only become clearer that this rogue regime cannot be trusted as long they continue to support terrorist organizations. My bill is a comprehensive approach to wielding our economic sanctions tools against Iran by freezing the $6 billion and ensuring Congress has the information necessary to prevent Iran from accessing funds in the future. We must be unequivocal that the United States will not back down and waive sanctions on frozen Iranian funds held by other nations.”
“It was foolish for the Biden administration to ever move this money, and now we need to make sure these funds never get to the evil Iranian regime and make clear that the United States of America will never play nice with terrorists. Anyone who says the Iranians and their terrorist proxies couldn’t use this $6 billion to support terrorism is lying to you. It’s time to take these funds off the table for good, slam Iran with the most severe sanctions imaginable and hold this evil regime accountable for the terror it has unleashed on the world,” said Rick Scott.
“Negotiations with criminal tyrants, such as the regime in Tehran, undermines our national security interests and credibility. Unfortunately, we have seen the repercussions of this administration’s disastrous policy towards Iran, which has provided Iran billions of dollars it can use to support terrorism against Israel. Re-freezing the $6 billion which President Biden gladly gifted to the Ayatollah, is a logical first step to undo this administration’s absurd mistake,” said Rubio.
“As we stand firmly with Israel as she defends herself against Hamas’s evil terrorism, its critical we stop the flow of money to Iran – the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism and one of Hamas’s top supporters. We’re working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to freeze the $6 billion in Iranian assets and craft a comprehensive solution to cut off funding for terrorist organizations including Hamas, Iran, and their backers,” said Sinema.
The bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. So far, there is no companion measure over in the U.S. House.
