II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 488 

To provide for congressional review of actions to terminate or waive sanctions 

imposed with respect to Iran. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2021 

Mr. HAGERTY (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. COTTON, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. BLUNT, 

Mr. CRAMER, Mr. CORNYN, Ms. LUMMIS, Mrs. HYDE-SMITH, Ms. ERNST, 

Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. 

YOUNG, Mr. SASSE, Mr. LANKFORD, Mr. HAWLEY, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. 

MARSHALL, Mrs. CAPITO, and Mr. WICKER) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To provide for congressional review of actions to terminate 

or waive sanctions imposed with respect to Iran. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iran Sanctions Relief 

5 Review Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF CERTAIN ACTIONS RE2 LATING TO SANCTIONS IMPOSED WITH RE3 SPECT TO IRAN. 

4 (a) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS OF PROPOSED AC5 TION.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 

7 provision of law, before taking any action described 

8 in paragraph (2), the President shall submit to the 

9 appropriate congressional committees and leadership 

10 a report that describes the proposed action and the 

11 reasons for that action. 

12 (2) ACTIONS DESCRIBED.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—An action described in 

14 this paragraph is— 

15 (i) an action to terminate the applica16 tion of any sanctions described in subpara17 graph (B); 

18 (ii) with respect to sanctions described 

19 in subparagraph (B) imposed by the Presi20 dent with respect to a person, an action to 

21 waive the application of those sanctions 

22 with respect to that person; or 

23 (iii) a licensing action that signifi24 cantly alters United States foreign policy 

25 with respect to Iran. 


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1 (B) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.—The sanc2 tions described in this subparagraph are sanc3 tions with respect to Iran provided for under— 

4 (i) the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 

5 (Public Law 104–172; 50 U.S.C. 1701 

6 note); 

7 (ii) the Comprehensive Iran Sanc8 tions, Accountability, and Divestment Act 

9 of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8501 et seq.); 

10 (iii) section 1245 of the National De11 fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

12 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8513a); 

13 (iv) the Iran Threat Reduction and 

14 Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 

15 U.S.C. 8701 et seq.); 

16 (v) the Iran Freedom and Counter17 Proliferation Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8801 

18 et seq.); 

19 (vi) the International Emergency Eco20 nomic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 note); 

21 or 

22 (vii) any other statute or Executive 

23 order that requires or authorizes the impo24 sition of sanctions with respect to Iran. 


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1 (3) DESCRIPTION OF TYPE OF ACTION.—Each 

2 report submitted under paragraph (1) with respect 

3 to an action described in paragraph (2) shall include 

4 a description of whether the action— 

5 (A) is not intended to significantly alter 

6 United States foreign policy with respect to 

7 Iran; or 

8 (B) is intended to significantly alter 

9 United States foreign policy with respect to 

10 Iran. 

11 (4) INCLUSION OF ADDITIONAL MATTER.— 

12 (A) IN GENERAL.—Each report submitted 

13 under paragraph (1) that relates to an action 

14 that is intended to significantly alter United 

15 States foreign policy with respect to Iran shall 

16 include a description of— 

17 (i) the significant alteration to United 

18 States foreign policy with respect to Iran; 

19 (ii) the anticipated effect of the action 

20 on the national security interests of the 

21 United States; and 

22 (iii) the policy objectives for which the 

23 sanctions affected by the action were ini24 tially imposed. 


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1 (B) REQUESTS FROM BANKING AND FI2 NANCIAL SERVICES COMMITTEES.—The Com3 mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

4 of the Senate or the Committee on Financial 

5 Services of the House of Representatives may 

6 request the submission to the Committee of the 

7 matter described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of sub8 paragraph (A) with respect to a report sub9 mitted under paragraph (1) that relates to an 

10 action that is not intended to significantly alter 

11 United States foreign policy with respect to 

12 Iran. 

13 (5) CONFIDENTIALITY OF PROPRIETARY INFOR14 MATION.—Proprietary information that can be asso15 ciated with a particular person with respect to an 

16 action described in paragraph (2) may be included 

17 in a report submitted under paragraph (1) only if 

18 the appropriate congressional committees and lead19 ership provide assurances of confidentiality, unless 

20 that person otherwise consents in writing to such 

21 disclosure. 

22 (6) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Paragraph 

23 (2)(A)(iii) shall not be construed to require the sub24 mission of a report under paragraph (1) with respect 

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1 nificantly alter United States foreign policy with re2 spect to Iran. 

3 (b) PERIOD FOR REVIEW BY CONGRESS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—During the period of 30 cal5 endar days beginning on the date on which the 

6 President submits a report under subsection 

7 (a)(1)— 

8 (A) in the case of a report that relates to 

9 an action that is not intended to significantly 

10 alter United States foreign policy with respect 

11 to Iran, the Committee on Banking, Housing, 

12 and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Com13 mittee on Financial Services of the House of 

14 Representatives should, as appropriate, hold 

15 hearings and briefings and otherwise obtain in16 formation in order to fully review the report; 

17 and 

18 (B) in the case of a report that relates to 

19 an action that is intended to significantly alter 

20 United States foreign policy with respect to 

21 Iran, the Committee on Foreign Relations of 

22 the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Af23 fairs of the House of Representatives should, as 

24 appropriate, hold hearings and briefings and 


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1 otherwise obtain information in order to fully 

2 review the report. 

3 (2) EXCEPTION.—The period for congressional 

4 review under paragraph (1) of a report required to 

5 be submitted under subsection (a)(1) shall be 60 cal6 endar days if the report is submitted on or after 

7 July 10 and on or before September 7 in any cal8 endar year. 

9 (3) LIMITATION ON ACTIONS DURING INITIAL

10 CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW PERIOD.—Notwithstanding 

11 any other provision of law, during the period for 

12 congressional review provided for under paragraph 

13 (1) of a report submitted under subsection (a)(1) 

14 proposing an action described in subsection (a)(2), 

15 including any additional period for such review as 

16 applicable under the exception provided in paragraph 

17 (2), the President may not take that action unless 

18 a joint resolution of approval with respect to that ac19 tion is enacted in accordance with subsection (c). 

20 (4) LIMITATION ON ACTIONS DURING PRESI21 DENTIAL CONSIDERATION OF A JOINT RESOLUTION

22 OF DISAPPROVAL.—Notwithstanding any other pro23 vision of law, if a joint resolution of disapproval re24 lating to a report submitted under subsection (a)(1) 

25 proposing an action described in subsection (a)(2) 


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1 passes both Houses of Congress in accordance with 

2 subsection (c), the President may not take that ac3 tion for a period of 12 calendar days after the date 

4 of passage of the joint resolution of disapproval. 

5 (5) LIMITATION ON ACTIONS DURING CONGRES6 SIONAL RECONSIDERATION OF A JOINT RESOLUTION

7 OF DISAPPROVAL.—Notwithstanding any other pro8 vision of law, if a joint resolution of disapproval re9 lating to a report submitted under subsection (a)(1) 

10 proposing an action described in subsection (a)(2) 

11 passes both Houses of Congress in accordance with 

12 subsection (c), and the President vetoes the joint 

13 resolution, the President may not take that action 

14 for a period of 10 calendar days after the date of 

15 the President’s veto. 

16 (6) EFFECT OF ENACTMENT OF A JOINT RESO17 LUTION OF DISAPPROVAL.—Notwithstanding any 

18 other provision of law, if a joint resolution of dis19 approval relating to a report submitted under sub20 section (a)(1) proposing an action described in sub21 section (a)(2) is enacted in accordance with sub22 section (c), the President may not take that action. 

23 (c) JOINT RESOLUTIONS OF DISAPPROVAL OR AP24 PROVAL.— 

25 (1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 


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1 (A) JOINT RESOLUTION OF APPROVAL.— 

2 The term ‘‘joint resolution of approval’’ means 

3 only a joint resolution of either House of Con4 gress— 

5 (i) the title of which is as follows: ‘‘A 

6 joint resolution approving the President’s 

7 proposal to take an action relating to the 

8 application of certain sanctions with re9 spect to Iran.’’; and 

10 (ii) the sole matter after the resolving 

11 clause of which is the following: ‘‘Congress 

12 approves of the action relating to the appli13 cation of sanctions imposed with respect to 

14 Iran proposed by the President in the re15 port submitted to Congress under section 

16 2(a)(1) of the Iran Sanctions Relief Review 

17 Act of 2021 on lllllll relating 

18 to llllllll.’’, with the first 

19 blank space being filled with the appro20 priate date and the second blank space 

21 being filled with a short description of the 

22 proposed action. 

23 (B) JOINT RESOLUTION OF DIS24 APPROVAL.—The term ‘‘joint resolution of disVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:34 Mar 20, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S488.IS S488

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1 approval’’ means only a joint resolution of ei2 ther House of Congress— 

3 (i) the title of which is as follows: ‘‘A 

4 joint resolution disapproving the Presi5 dent’s proposal to take an action relating 

6 to the application of certain sanctions with 

7 respect to Iran.’’; and 

8 (ii) the sole matter after the resolving 

9 clause of which is the following: ‘‘Congress 

10 disapproves of the action relating to the 

11 application of sanctions imposed with re12 spect to Iran proposed by the President in 

13 the report submitted to Congress under 

14 section 2(a)(1) of the Iran Sanctions Relief 

15 Review Act of 2021 on lllllll 

16 relating to llllllll.’’, with the 

17 first blank space being filled with the ap18 propriate date and the second blank space 

19 being filled with a short description of the 

20 proposed action. 

21 (2) INTRODUCTION.—During the period of 30 

22 calendar days provided for under subsection (b)(1), 

23 including any additional period as applicable under 

24 the exception provided in subsection (b)(2), a joint 


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1 resolution of approval or joint resolution of dis2 approval may be introduced— 

3 (A) in the House of Representatives, by 

4 the majority leader or the minority leader; and 

5 (B) in the Senate, by the majority leader 

6 (or the majority leader’s designee) or the mi7 nority leader (or the minority leader’s des8 ignee). 

9 (3) FLOOR CONSIDERATION IN HOUSE OF REP10 RESENTATIVES.—If a committee of the House of 

11 Representatives to which a joint resolution of ap12 proval or joint resolution of disapproval has been re13 ferred has not reported the joint resolution within 

14 10 calendar days after the date of referral, that 

15 committee shall be discharged from further consider16 ation of the joint resolution. 

17 (4) CONSIDERATION IN THE SENATE.— 

18 (A) COMMITTEE REFERRAL.—A joint reso19 lution of approval or joint resolution of dis20 approval introduced in the Senate shall be— 

21 (i) referred to the Committee on 

22 Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs if 

23 the joint resolution relates to a report 

24 under subsection (a)(3)(A) that relates to 

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1 cantly alter United States foreign policy 

2 with respect to Iran; and 

3 (ii) referred to the Committee on For4 eign Relations if the joint resolution relates 

5 to a report under subsection (a)(3)(B) that 

6 relates to an action that is intended to sig7 nificantly alter United States foreign policy 

8 with respect to Iran. 

9 (B) REPORTING AND DISCHARGE.—If the 

10 committee to which a joint resolution of ap11 proval or joint resolution of disapproval was re12 ferred has not reported the joint resolution 

13 within 10 calendar days after the date of refer14 ral of the joint resolution, that committee shall 

15 be discharged from further consideration of the 

16 joint resolution and the joint resolution shall be 

17 placed on the appropriate calendar. 

18 (C) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.— 

19 Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing 

20 Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time 

21 after the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

22 Urban Affairs or the Committee on Foreign Re23 lations, as the case may be, reports a joint reso24 lution of approval or joint resolution of dis25 approval to the Senate or has been discharged 


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1 from consideration of such a joint resolution 

2 (even though a previous motion to the same ef3 fect has been disagreed to) to move to proceed 

4 to the consideration of the joint resolution, and 

5 all points of order against the joint resolution 

6 (and against consideration of the joint resolu7 tion) are waived. The motion to proceed is not 

8 debatable. The motion is not subject to a mo9 tion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the 

10 vote by which the motion is agreed to or dis11 agreed to shall not be in order. 

12 (D) RULINGS OF THE CHAIR ON PROCE13 DURE.—Appeals from the decisions of the Chair 

14 relating to the application of the rules of the 

15 Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure re16 lating to a joint resolution of approval or joint 

17 resolution of disapproval shall be decided with18 out debate. 

19 (E) CONSIDERATION OF VETO MES20 SAGES.—Debate in the Senate of any veto mes21 sage with respect to a joint resolution of ap22 proval or joint resolution of disapproval, includ23 ing all debatable motions and appeals in con24 nection with the joint resolution, shall be lim25 ited to 10 hours, to be equally divided between, 


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1 and controlled by, the majority leader and the 

2 minority leader or their designees. 

3 (5) RULES RELATING TO SENATE AND HOUSE

4 OF REPRESENTATIVES.— 

5 (A) TREATMENT OF SENATE JOINT RESO6 LUTION IN HOUSE.—In the House of Rep7 resentatives, the following procedures shall 

8 apply to a joint resolution of approval or a joint 

9 resolution of disapproval received from the Sen10 ate (unless the House has already passed a 

11 joint resolution relating to the same proposed 

12 action): 

13 (i) The joint resolution shall be re14 ferred to the appropriate committees. 

15 (ii) If a committee to which a joint 

16 resolution has been referred has not re17 ported the joint resolution within 2 cal18 endar days after the date of referral, that 

19 committee shall be discharged from further 

20 consideration of the joint resolution. 

21 (iii) Beginning on the third legislative 

22 day after each committee to which a joint 

23 resolution has been referred reports the 

24 joint resolution to the House or has been 

25 discharged from further consideration 


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1 thereof, it shall be in order to move to pro2 ceed to consider the joint resolution in the 

3 House. All points of order against the mo4 tion are waived. Such a motion shall not be 

5 in order after the House has disposed of a 

6 motion to proceed on the joint resolution. 

7 The previous question shall be considered 

8 as ordered on the motion to its adoption 

9 without intervening motion. The motion 

10 shall not be debatable. A motion to recon11 sider the vote by which the motion is dis12 posed of shall not be in order. 

13 (iv) The joint resolution shall be con14 sidered as read. All points of order against 

15 the joint resolution and against its consid16 eration are waived. The previous question 

17 shall be considered as ordered on the joint 

18 resolution to final passage without inter19 vening motion except 2 hours of debate 

20 equally divided and controlled by the spon21 sor of the joint resolution (or a designee) 

22 and an opponent. A motion to reconsider 

23 the vote on passage of the joint resolution 

24 shall not be in order. 


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1 (B) TREATMENT OF HOUSE JOINT RESO2 LUTION IN SENATE.— 

3 (i) RECEIPT BEFORE PASSAGE.—If, 

4 before the passage by the Senate of a joint 

5 resolution of approval or joint resolution of 

6 disapproval, the Senate receives an iden7 tical joint resolution from the House of 

8 Representatives, the following procedures 

9 shall apply: 

10 (I) That joint resolution shall not 

11 be referred to a committee. 

12 (II) With respect to that joint 

13 resolution— 

14 (aa) the procedure in the 

15 Senate shall be the same as if no 

16 joint resolution had been received 

17 from the House of Representa18 tives; but 

19 (bb) the vote on passage 

20 shall be on the joint resolution 

21 from the House of Representa22 tives. 

23 (ii) RECEIPT AFTER PASSAGE.—If, 

24 following passage of a joint resolution of 

25 approval or joint resolution of disapproval 


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1 in the Senate, the Senate receives an iden2 tical joint resolution from the House of 

3 Representatives, that joint resolution shall 

4 be placed on the appropriate Senate cal5 endar. 

6 (iii) NO COMPANION MEASURE.—If a 

7 joint resolution of approval or a joint reso8 lution of disapproval is received from the 

9 House, and no companion joint resolution 

10 has been introduced in the Senate, the 

11 Senate procedures under this subsection 

12 shall apply to the House joint resolution. 

13 (C) APPLICATION TO REVENUE MEAS14 URES.—The provisions of this paragraph shall 

15 not apply in the House of Representatives to a 

16 joint resolution of approval or joint resolution 

17 of disapproval that is a revenue measure. 

18 (6) RULES OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

19 AND SENATE.—This subsection is enacted by Con20 gress— 

21 (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power 

22 of the Senate and the House of Representa23 tives, respectively, and as such is deemed a part 

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1 persedes other rules only to the extent that it 

2 is inconsistent with such rules; and 

3 (B) with full recognition of the constitu4 tional right of either House to change the rules 

5 (so far as relating to the procedure of that 

6 House) at any time, in the same manner, and 

7 to the same extent as in the case of any other 

8 rule of that House. 

9 (d) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

10 AND LEADERSHIP DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

11 ‘‘appropriate congressional committees and leadership’’ 

12 means— 

13 (1) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 

14 Urban Affairs, the Committee on Foreign Relations, 

15 and the majority and minority leaders of the Senate; 

16 and 

17 (2) the Committee on Financial Services, the 

18 Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Speaker, the 

19 majority leader, and the minority leader of the 

20 House of Representatives. 

Æ 


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