Congressman Wittman votes against Iran nuclear deal

Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) voted on Sept. 11, 2015 against the approval of President Obama’s proposed agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a news release from his office in Washington. The legislation failed by a vote of 162-269.

“The House’s actions today reflect the will of the people. Iran has previously shown its willingness to break the terms of previous deals, and I have no doubt that they’ll do so again,” Wittman was quoted as saying in a press release.

“I have visited the Middle East many times to meet with members of the U.S. military and engage with leaders of nations in the region, and I fully understand the threats posed by a nuclear-armed Iran. With the security of our partners in the region at stake, it is critical that any deal effectually prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. I do not believe this agreement includes the enforcement mechanisms necessary for preventing Iran’s government from pursuing nuclear capabilities, and I could not support it.”

In addition, Wittman voted for a bill (H.R. 3460) Friday to limit the Administration’s ability to reduce economic sanctions on Iran until January of 2017, as well as a resolution (H. Res. 411) Thursday evening finding that the President’s failure to comply with certain provisions of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act means that Congress’ period of review over the agreement cannot have begun.

“The failure to disclose information concerning side negotiations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency, whose inspections are at the centerpiece of the agreement, represents a failure to comply with certain provisions of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act,” Wittman continued.

“This in turn means that Congress’ period of review over the agreement cannot have begun. This agreement deserves a serious review with every detail on the table, and the withheld information is critical for Congress to conduct a thorough analysis. For example, the agreement says that Iran will reduce its stockpile of low-enriched uranium by 98 percent, but that means nothing if we don’t know the volume of the current stockpile. The percentage may sound good, but 98 percent of an unknown is still an unknown. This deal poses significant national security risks, but I will continue to fight for smart national security policy as a member of the House Armed Services Committee.”

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he is Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.