III 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 65 

Strongly supporting the full implementation of United States and international sanctions on Iran and urging the President to continue to 

strengthen enforcement of sanctions legislation. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2013 

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. 

CORNYN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. CASEY, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. 

GILLIBRAND, Mr. KIRK, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CARDIN, 

Ms. COLLINS, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BROWN, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. 

PORTMAN, Mr. MANCHIN, and Mr. LAUTENBERG) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Strongly supporting the full implementation of United States 

and international sanctions on Iran and urging the President to continue to strengthen enforcement of sanctions 

legislation. 

Whereas, on May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed 

the establishment of the sovereign and independent State 

of Israel; 

Whereas, on March 28, 1949, the United States Government 

recognized the establishment of the new State of Israel 

and established full diplomatic relations; 

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Whereas, since its establishment nearly 65 years ago, the 

modern State of Israel has rebuilt a nation, forged a new 

and dynamic democratic society, and created a thriving 

economic, political, cultural, and intellectual life despite 

the heavy costs of war, terrorism, and unjustified diplomatic and economic boycotts against the people of Israel; 

Whereas the people of Israel have established a vibrant, pluralistic, democratic political system, including freedom of 

speech, association, and religion; a vigorously free press; 

free, fair, and open elections; the rule of law; a fully independent judiciary; and other democratic principles and 

practices; 

Whereas, since the 1979 revolution in Iran, the leaders of the 

Islamic Republic of Iran have repeatedly made threats 

against the existence of the State of Israel and sponsored 

acts of terrorism and violence against its citizens; 

Whereas, on October 27, 2005, President of Iran Mahmoud 

Ahmadinejad called for a world without America and Zionism; 

Whereas, in February 2012, Supreme Leader of Iran Ali 

Khamenei said of Israel, ‘‘The Zionist regime is a true 

cancer tumor on this region that should be cut off. And 

it definitely will be cut off.’’; 

Whereas, in August 2012, Supreme Leader Khamenei said of 

Israel, ‘‘This bogus and fake Zionist outgrowth will disappear off the landscape of geography.’’; 

Whereas, in August 2012, President Ahmadinejad said that 

‘‘in the new Middle East . . . there will be no trace of 

the American presence and the Zionists’’; 

Whereas the Department of State has designated the Islamic 

Republic of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism since 

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1984 and has characterized the Islamic Republic of Iran 

as the ‘‘most active state sponsor of terrorism’’ in the 

world; 

Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has 

provided weapons, training, funding, and direction to terrorist groups, including Hamas, Hizballah, and Shiite militias in Iraq that are responsible for the murder of hundreds of United States service members and innocent civilians; 

Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has 

provided weapons, training, and funding to the regime of 

Bashar al Assad that has been used to suppress and 

murder its own people; 

Whereas, since at least the late 1980s, the Government of the 

Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in a sustained and 

well-documented pattern of illicit and deceptive activities 

to acquire a nuclear weapons capability; 

Whereas, since September 2005, the Board of Governors of 

the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has 

found the Islamic Republic of Iran to be in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, which 

Iran is obligated to undertake as a non-nuclear-weapon 

State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of 

Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London, and 

Moscow July 1, 1968, and entered into force March 5, 

1970 (NPT); 

Whereas the United Nations Security Council has adopted 

multiple resolutions since 2006 demanding of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran its full and sustained suspension of all uranium enrichment-related and 

reprocessing activities and its full cooperation with the 

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IAEA on all outstanding issues related to its nuclear activities, particularly those concerning the possible military 

dimensions of its nuclear program; 

Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has 

refused to comply with United Nations Security Council 

resolutions or to fully cooperate with the IAEA; 

Whereas, in November 2011, the IAEA Director General 

issued a report that documented ‘‘serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear 

programme,’’ and affirmed that information available to 

the IAEA indicates that ‘‘Iran has carried out activities 

relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device’’ 

and that some activities may be ongoing; 

Whereas the Government of Iran stands in violation of the 

Universal Declaration of Human Rights for denying its 

citizens basic freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, religion, peaceful assembly and movement, and for 

flagrantly abusing the rights of minorities and women; 

Whereas in his State of the Union Address on January 24, 

2012, President Barack Obama stated, ‘‘Let there be no 

doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the 

table to achieve that goal.’’; 

Whereas Congress has passed and the President has signed 

into law legislation imposing significant economic and 

diplomatic sanctions on Iran to encourage the Government of Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons 

and end its support for terrorism; 

Whereas these sanctions, while having significant effect, have 

yet to persuade Iran to abandon its illicit pursuits and 

comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions; 

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Whereas more stringent enforcement of sanctions legislation, 

including elements targeting oil exports and access to foreign exchange, could still lead the Government of Iran to 

change course; 

Whereas, in his State of the Union Address on February 12, 

2013, President Obama reiterated, ‘‘The leaders of Iran 

must recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands united in demanding 

that they meet their obligations. And we will do what is 

necessary to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon.’’; 

Whereas, on March 4, 2012, President Obama stated, ‘‘Iran’s 

leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of 

containment; I have a policy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.’’; 

Whereas, on October 22, 2012, President Obama said of 

Iran, ‘‘The clock is ticking . . . And we’re going to make 

sure that if they do not meet the demands of the international community, then we are going to take all options 

necessary to make sure they don’t have a nuclear weapon.’’; 

Whereas, on May 19, 2011, President Obama stated, ‘‘Every 

state has the right to self-defense, and Israel must be 

able to defend itself, by itself, against any threat.’’; 

Whereas, on September 21, 2011, President Obama stated, 

‘‘America’s commitment to Israel’s security is 

unshakeable. Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring.’’; 

Whereas, on March 4, 2012, President Obama stated, ‘‘And 

whenever an effort is made to delegitimize the state of 

Israel, my administration has opposed them. So there 

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should not be a shred of doubt by now: when the chips 

are down, I have Israel’s back.’’; 

Whereas, on October 22, 2012, President Obama stated, 

‘‘Israel is a true friend. And if Israel is attacked, America will stand with Israel. I’ve made that clear throughout 

my presidency . . . I will stand with Israel if they are 

attacked.’’; 

Whereas, in December 2012, 74 United States Senators 

wrote to President Obama ‘‘As you begin your second 

term as President, we ask you to reiterate your readiness 

to take military action against Iran if it continues its efforts to acquire a nuclear weapon. In addition, we urge 

you to work with our European and Middle Eastern allies 

to demonstrate to the Iranians that a credible and capable multilateral coalition exists that would support a military strike if, in the end, this is unfortunately necessary.’’; and 

Whereas the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–150) stated that 

it is United States policy to support Israel’s inherent 

right to self-defense: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

3 Congress— 

4 (1) reaffirms the special bonds of friendship 

5 and cooperation that have existed between the 

6 United States and the State of Israel for more than 

7 sixty years and that enjoy overwhelming bipartisan 

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1 support in Congress and among the people of the 

2 United States; 

3 (2) strongly supports the close military, intel4 ligence, and security cooperation that President 

5 Obama has pursued with Israel and urges this co6 operation to continue and deepen; 

7 (3) deplores and condemns, in the strongest 

8 possible terms, the reprehensible statements and 

9 policies of the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran 

10 threatening the security and existence of Israel; 

11 (4) recognizes the tremendous threat posed to 

12 the United States, the West, and Israel by the Gov13 ernment of Iran’s continuing pursuit of a nuclear 

14 weapons capability; 

15 (5) reiterates that the policy of the United 

16 States is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear 

17 weapon capability and to take such action as may be 

18 necessary to implement this policy; 

19 (6) reaffirms its strong support for the full im20 plementation of United States and international 

21 sanctions on Iran and urges the President to con22 tinue and strengthen enforcement of sanctions legis23 lation; 

24 (7) declares that the United States has a vital 

25 national interest in, and unbreakable commitment 

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1 to, ensuring the existence, survival, and security of 

2 the State of Israel, and reaffirms United States sup3 port for Israel’s right to self-defense; and 

4 (8) urges that, if the Government of Israel is 

5 compelled to take military action in self-defense, the 

6 United States Government should stand with Israel 

7 and provide diplomatic, military, and economic sup8 port to the Government of Israel in its defense of its 

9 territory, people, and existence. 

10 SEC. 2. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION. 

11 Nothing in this resolution shall be construed as an 

12 authorization for the use of force or a declaration of war. 

Æ 

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