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Compensating American Victims of Iranian Terror
Jan 28 2016
Lots of things go on here in our nation's capital, in Washington, DC, that don't make sense to me. One of those things occurred about 10 days ago in which the Obama administration announced that it would pay $1.7 billion to Iran in settlement of a financial dispute dating back to the days of the Shah of Iran. That 1.7 billion was a payment to Iran for 400 million dollars that was held in escrow after the Shah's demise, fall from power and the remaining 1.3 billion dollars was to pay interest on that 400 million dollars.
And I think there are a number of reasons that this makes no sense. I would highlight perhaps the one that seems to me to be the least controversial or the most common sense. The problem is, a problem is that we have American citizens who have claims against Iran – actual judgments entered by a court of law determining that the country of Iran owes American citizens. The number that I am told is nearly 10 billion dollars in those judgments.
What makes no sense to me is that we would agree, the Obama administration would agree to pay the Iran Government 1.7 billion dollars without concurrently resolving the issues of what Iran should pay United States citizens or withholding the payment of that 1.7 billion dollars until Iran pays American citizens the judgment amounts owed them for their country's terrorist acts.
Why would we unilaterally pay Iran money that we may or may not owe them without resolving the issue of money that we know Iran owes to U.S. citizens? This makes no sense. You could have a broader conversation and discussion about this issue, I don't know that it’s necessary to go further to reach the conclusion that the Obama administration should not be doing this. You could also have a conversation about was this payment, 1.7 billion dollars, really was it ransom money? Was it paid because on the same day Americans were released from Iran captivity? You could have a discussion about whether or not we should be giving Iran any money at all as the largest supporter of terrorism and terrorism activity, the largest funder of terrorist activity around the globe.
We know that in the Iran agreement related to nuclear weapons that the United States is releasing dollars to Iran. And we know, in fact it’s been admitted by administration officials, that we expect that money, in part, to be used to sponsor additional terrorist acts. Well, in addition to the flawed, mistaken agreement with Iran related to nuclear capabilities, we now are providing Iran another 1.7 billion dollars to use as they see fit, presumably with the ability – the admitted ability – to use that money to further terrorist acts around the globe, including against United States citizens.
Those discussions could be had: Was this ransom? Should we be giving Iran any money? But on the surface, you don't need to go further than, in my view, what ought to be easily agreed upon, which is no money to Iran until the claims of American citizens are paid by Iran.
And I am on the Senate floor today to highlight to my colleagues that I have introduced legislation exactly to that effect: no money to Iran until the claims are paid to U.S. citizens by Iran. And I would encourage my colleagues to consider this legislation and join me in its sponsorship. It is Senate bill 2452.
Mr. President, I thank you for the opportunity of bringing this issue to the attention. One more instance of which something that makes no sense to me that could be resolved with a firm statement by the U.S. Congress: Mr. President, you can't pay Iran until Iran meets its obligations to pay what it owes United States citizens.
Sen. Moran on WOTUS Veto Override
Jan 21 2016
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) issued the following statement today in response to the president’s veto of a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule. The rule redefines the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. The Senate failed to override the veto, which requires 67 votes.
“I am disappointed, though not surprised, President Obama chose to veto the resolution from Congress to reverse the EPA’s Waters of the U.S. regulation,” Sen. Moran said. “We all share the goal of providing a clean and safe water supply, but there are better ways to do so than forcing unnecessary regulations on our farmers, ranchers, oil and gas producers, and other stakeholders. The rule, which greatly expands EPA’s jurisdiction to regulate private land and water, threatens to harm our economy and cost us jobs. It is clear the Obama Administration intends to disregard any concern or objection that stands in the way of its radical environmental agenda.”
In November 2015, the Senate passed a resolution to stop the rule under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to reject major new regulations. The House passed the same resolution earlier this month. A two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate is required to override a veto by the president.
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Sen. Moran Introduces Bill Requiring Terror Victim Compensation Before Transferring Funds to Iran
Jan 21 2016
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced legislation (S. 2452) this week to limit the president’s ability to transfer funds to Iran. S. 2452 directs the U.S. government to put justice for American victims of Iranian terrorism ahead of compensation for the Iranian regime.
“The United States should not be funding governments that openly violate human rights, proudly disregard U.N. Security Council resolutions, and call for the destruction of America and its allies,” Sen. Moran said. “This bill directs the U.S. government to put justice for American victims of Iranian terrorism ahead of compensation for the Iranian regime. Rather than incentivize state-sponsored kidnapping, the administration should remind the government of Iran that terror and hostage taking is not a for-profit enterprise.”
The bill prohibits the transfer of funds for the payment by the United States of amounts awarded by the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal to Iran or nationals of Iran until Iran has paid certain compensatory damages awarded to United States persons by United States courts.
Click here to read the full text of this legislation.
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Welcoming Kansans Marching for Life
Jan 20 2016
Kansans celebrate a rich history of prote[s]ting man-made laws that deny natural rights. We have protested many things over a long period of time, and our history is significant in that regard. After years of bloodshed leading to the Civil War, Kansas was born a free state. Though we lament the use of any violence, residents of our state have acted on the firm conviction that human beings, regardless of their stage or state in life, could not be regarded as property by other people.
We take pride in the fact that one of the first sit-ins of the civil rights movement took place at Dockum’s Drugstore in Wichita, Kansas, leading for the peaceful way for protests in the struggle for equality.
Today I want to call to the attention the somber anniversary in our nation's history that will be observed this week. Forty-three years ago, the Supreme Court determined an unborn child had no guaranteed right to life under the Constitution, paving the way to destroy the lives of 57 million unborn children since 1973.
Many Kansans this week, most of them very young, will continue a decade-long tradition of standing up for the civil rights of an unprotected class of people. As they come to Washington, D.C., with their chaperones, they will comprise one of the nation's largest groups attending the annual March for Life.
They come each January, when it’s rarely warm, and, as is forecast for this Friday, it will be snowy, cold, and probably very miserable. Despite these elements—despite the weather—when the hundreds of thousands of youth walk down Constitution Avenue past the Capitol and the Supreme Court, they give witness to the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception. They protest abortion providers receiving taxpayer dollars. They object to government policies that violate freedom of conscience.
These Kansans have made a 20-hour bus ride and will yet again brave cold weather to demonstrate their commitment to the right to life – a right that those of us in positions of power have an obligation to protect.
When visiting with these young advocates, I have been struck by the clarity with which they march. Motivated by a joy for life, a love for life, they come to Washington, D.C., not to condemn, but rather to affirm that all life is sacred and to encourage a broader realization of that in our nation.
Every opportunity they have while they are here they will use to educate and to encourage a point of view that protects life. As other times in our struggle for civil rights in our country, they will make progress to pursue and secure the right to life. And none of those things have happened as quickly as we would like.
As we work to expedite the day when the unborn are protected under law, I welcome to our nation's capital all Kansans, as well as the hundreds of thousands more who will join them as they march for life. Every great movement begins with the first step, and these young Kansans can be certain that their march will not be in vain.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement after Department of Defense Secretary Ash Carter delivered a plan to the president to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba:
“To completely bypass Congress is not only aggressive, but also an illegal move by the administration – especially when the Attorney General confirmed that current law prohibits the transfer of prisoners to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., or anywhere else in the United States. Over the last seven years, this administration has been incapable of presenting a comprehensive, legally justifiable closure and relocation plan that maintains the safety and security of Americans. I have been asking the Department of Defense for months about the details of this apparent plan, and will continue pressing for answers with Pentagon leadership.”
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) released the following statement after Iran seized two U.S. Navy ships and detained the crew in the Persian Gulf:
"The taking into custody of ten American sailors continues a disturbing trend of provocative behavior by Iran. This follows the Iranian Navy firing rockets near U.S. ships responsible for maintaining the safety of the Persian Gulf, and the testing of ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions. President Obama's strategy of ignoring this threatening behavior in the name of preserving a bad nuclear agreement has drawn our country and the global community into a dangerous position. This is no time to lift sanctions, freeing tens of billions of dollars for Iran. The president must clearly condemn and take meaningful action to prevent these aggressions before Iran's next act leads to a loss of lives and the threat of an escalated conflict."
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and hundreds of members of Congress have entered the legal battle to defend Americans’ First Amendment rights by filing an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Zubik v. Burwell.
“Throughout our nation’s history, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently affirmed our First Amendment right to exercise religious beliefs freely. Recent federal intrusion on the First Amendments and the threat to religious liberty should concern all Americans – whether or not they ascribe to a particular faith,” Sen. Moran said. “I urge the Supreme Court to protect our foundational and essential principle of religious liberty.”
The case constitutes a challenge by Bishop David Zubik on behalf of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the Little Sisters of the Poor, multiple educational institutions and other religious nonprofit organizations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) contraceptive-coverage mandate. The amicus brief was co-signed by a bipartisan group of 32 senators and 175 representatives. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in late March on the consolidated cases.
The amicus brief lays out three arguments:
- Congress has a long tradition of protecting religious liberty – including that of groups – and there has traditionally been strong bipartisan support for such efforts;
- Congress enacted the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to ensure broad protection of religious liberty, whether or not a specific religious exemption appears in a particular law; and
- The HHS regulations do not satisfy the high bar set by RFRA. RFRA’s requirements govern the Affordable Care Act like all other statutes that do not contain an express disclaimer. The Diocese of Pittsburgh, the Little Sisters of the Poor and all other concerned parties are protected by RFRA.
This brief was also filed by Congresswoman Diane Black (R-TN-06) and Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA-03).
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U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today shared what he hopes to hear from President Obama in tonight’s State of the Union Address. "I miss the days when it was exciting to come to a State of the Union Address. It didn’t matter whether the president was a Republican or Democrat – it was a time for the country, for Congress, to come together and listen to the vision of the leader of our county. Unfortunately, over time we’ve seen these speeches become a political exercise — a production where Republicans stand up and applaud for Republican presidents and Democrats stand up and applaud for Democratic presidents."
"What I really want is a president who comes and levels with us – who tells us the truth and outlines what needs to be accomplished. What I want is the president to tell us how we can work together to solve problems in a commonsense way, and not use the State of the Union for political purposes in advance of this year's elections."
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, welcomed news today that the newly released 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not take into account advisory committee recommendations based on factors outside of sound nutritional science, such as environmental sustainability. The guidelines, which are jointly developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also include lean meat as part of a healthy diet.
"Due to serious concerns the dietary guidelines were being influenced by politics rather than driven by science, I included instructions in the FY2016 Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill directing USDA and HHS to formulate the guidelines solely on dietary science. I appreciate that the departments listened to the instructions and rejected the advisory committee’s recommendations based on environmental sustainability – a field outside the committee members’ charter, background and expertise. I am also pleased the guidelines recommend that Americans include lean meat as part of a healthy, nutritious diet."
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which form the basis of federal nutrition policy and influence many Americans’ eating patterns, are reviewed every five years. In addition to including instructions in the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill, Sen. Moran voiced his concerns with portions of the advisory report directly to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell in multiple hearings.
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today welcomed the recent adoption of the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act (H.R. 2297) into law. Sen. Moran was a cosponsor of the original Senate bill (S. 1617). The legislative language was ultimately passed with broad bipartisan support in the Senate as a substitute amendment to the companion legislation that passed the House of Representatives on December 16, 2015, and became law on December 18, 2015.
“There is no simple remedy to reverse the harms of President Obama’s troubled foreign policy, but this law is a positive action that will help combat threats of newly emboldened and enriched extremists in Iran and a Middle East in alarming disarray,” Sen. Moran said.
These new policies will limit Hizballah’s access to international financial institutions and restricts the group’s ability to fund its global terrorist activities. The law also prescribes strict penalties for any foreign financial institution that facilitates transactions for Hizballah.
Hizballah is a U.S. Department of State designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO). It has operated as a proxy paramilitary force of the Iranian government, conducting terror activities supported by arms and funding provided by the Iranian government. Hizballah was responsible for the July 2012 bus bombing in Bulgaria that killed five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian. The militant group also provides training for Iraqi Shia militants attacking Western interests in Iraq.
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