Battleground Senate Democrats tell Biden to act faster on Iran
A bipartisan group of senators, including Democrats fighting for reelection in battleground states, this week pushed President Biden to meet reporting deadlines to crack down harder on Iran.
In the letter dated Tuesday, the senators said an emergency supplemental bill signed into law in April to fund Ukraine, Israel and allies in the Indo-Pacific had included several provisions designed to restrict Iran's ability to sell oil and procure or distribute weapons, and that Biden has missed several deadlines to update Congress on related progress.
"Due to the quantity of oil that Iran is able to trade and the subsequent profits, as well as their historical pattern of utilizing these funds to foster violence and chaos, it is vital that the United States take concrete action to disrupt their petroleum trade," the senators wrote.
The letter was signed by Democratic senators defending key battleground states in the 2024 campaign, including Sens. Bob Casey (Pa.), Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) and Jacky Rosen (Nev.).
Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) and Republican Sens. John Hoeven (N.D.), Eric Schmitt (Mo.) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) also signed the letter.
The senators said Biden has missed August deadlines for a report on proposed efforts and sanctions to combat Iran's procurement of missiles and another report on Iranian oil sales, including to China.
There are also October deadlines that require Biden to inform Congress of how he will implement the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act to sanction certain individuals associated with Iran oil sales, legislation that was included in the April supplemental.
Iran continues to maintain a vast oil network that it is selling to countries around the world despite U.S. sanctions, with the nation primarily selling to American adversaries, including China. And Tehran has also circumvented U.S. efforts to restrict weapons procurement.
The Treasury Department on Friday announced new sanctions on the Iranian oil sector.
The senators are making the push as the war in the Middle East between Israel and Iranian-backed allies becomes a campaign issue. Most Democrats have called for the U.S. to stand with Israel, but they also want to relieve the suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting against the Iranian-backed militant group Hamas.
Israel is now weighing a response to Iran after Tehran fired some 180 ballistic missiles at the country, which the U.S. and Israeli defense systems largely defeated.
Date: | |
Tag: | Joe Biden |
Topics
-
Politics - Politico
Senate Democrats are suddenly extremely interested in Texas and Florida
September 25 - Florida -
Politics - The Hill
Democrats shut down Arizona office after shootings
Arizona Democrats closed their field office in Tempe, Ariz. after three shooting incidents. The office served as a base for the Sun State’s congressional campaigns and Vice President Harris's ...4 hours ago -
World - Financial Times
Swamp Notes: Will Republicans take back the Senate?
The US Congress has been split by slim margins in recent elections. This one will be no different.3 hours ago - Republican Party -
Business - Financial Times
Putin meets Iran’s new president as Israel weighs retaliation
Russian leader and his counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian stress the closeness of their countries as Middle East tensions spike17 hours ago - Israel -
World - The Wall Street Journal
U.S. Tightens Oil Sanctions on Iran as It Seeks to Contain Israeli Attack
The White House is trying to persuade Israel not to carry out military strikes against Iran’s oil infrastructure or nuclear sites.7 hours ago - Israel -
Politics - Politico
House Democrats likely to force action on measure formally reprimanding Clay Higgins
September 26 -
Tech - GameSpot
Junji Ito Tells You How He Creates His Terrifying Manga In New Book You Can Preorder
Horror manga writer and artist Junji Ito's work has seen a huge spike in popularity in recent years in the US, thanks both to the power of his frightening images unsettling stories, and to the ...13 hours ago -
Sports - ABC News
Sebastian Coe tells AP his run to be IOC president might not be such a longshot after all
A common observation about Sebastian Coe’s lifetime of going against the grain is that it makes him more of a thorn in the side of the International Olympic Committee than an ideal candidate to ...12 hours ago -
World - The Guardian
Biden says Hurricane Milton caused staggering $50bn in estimated damage
Sixteen people killed by storm but state spared ‘worst-case scenario’ as accusations fly between political candidates. Joe Biden said on Friday that experts estimate that Hurricane Milton caused ...6 hours ago - Joe Biden
More from The Hill
-
Politics - The Hill
Democrats shut down Arizona office after shootings
Arizona Democrats closed their field office in Tempe, Ariz. after three shooting incidents. The office served as a base for the Sun State’s congressional campaigns and Vice President Harris's ...4 hours ago -
Politics - The Hill
Comer slams Raskin over his election certification comments: 'Ultimate hypocrite'
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) condemned comments from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), calling him “the ultimate hypocrite” after the Democrat claimed former President Trump is trying to ...5 hours ago -
Politics - The Hill
US soldier sentenced to 14 years for seeking to aid ISIS plot
A U.S. soldier has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after seeking to support an ISIS attack that intended to kill American soldiers in the Middle East. Cole Bridges, also known as Cole ...6 hours ago -
Politics - The Hill
Watch live: Trump courts voters in critical swing state Nevada
Former President Trump is visiting the key battleground state of Nevada Friday, as polling indicates the state may still be up for grabs. Trump has looked to put his Democratic rival Vice President ...7 hours ago - Donald Trump -
Politics - The Hill
DOJ sues Virginia over voter roll purge
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a lawsuit against the state of Virginia for purging voter rolls on Friday. The department claims state officials violated the National Voter Registration ...8 hours ago