Iran China Accountability Act of 2023

Bill: 118-s-3461
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2023-12-11
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2023-12-11
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-12-11
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Iran China Accountability Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill prohibits the obligation or expenditure of federal funds to enter any negotiation with Iran regarding an Iranian nuclear agreement until (1) Iran has terminated agreements involving receiving funds from China; (2) Iran has terminated all military or security partnership agreements with China; (3) China has ceased to incarcerate Uyghur individuals in concentration camps; (4) Iran has terminated all ties and transfers of cash to proxy forces, including Hamas; and (5) Iran has verified the destruction of any and all chemical weapons and related materials. Additionally, any nuclear agreement with Iran is deemed a treaty and is subject to advice and consent by the Senate.</p>

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 3461 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES December 11, 2023 Mrs. Blackburn (for herself, Mr. Hoeven , Mr. Cramer , Mr. Rubio , Mrs. Hyde-Smith , Mr. Cruz , Mr. Tillis , and Mr. Scott of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To impose certain requirements relating to the renegotiation or reentry into the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or other agreement relating to Iran’s nuclear program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Iran China Accountability Act of 2023 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna July 14, 2015, provided the Islamic Republic of Iran with more than $100,000,000,000 in sanctions relief, circumventing mandatory sanctions imposed pursuant to Acts of Congress. (2) In 2016, the United States delivered $400,000,000 in cash to the Islamic Republic of Iran. (3) On May 8, 2018, the United States withdrew from the disastrous Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and implemented a campaign of maximum economic pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran, which will continue until the regime— (A) ends its nuclear program, its pursuit of ballistic missiles, and its support of terrorism and regional destabilization; and (B) releases all United States hostages. (4) The Islamic Republic of Iran and the People's Republic of China signed a 25-year strategic economic cooperation agreement on March 27, 2021. The relationship between the 2 countries is a strategic partnership that aims to advance the influence of the People's Republic of China in the Middle East. (5) The strategic economic cooperation agreement involves a transfer of $400,000,000,000 from the Chinese Communist Party to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. (6) The Chinese Communist Party is committing an ongoing genocide against Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and suppressing religious freedom throughout the People's Republic of China. (7) The Chinese Communist Party is suppressing religious freedom by arbitrarily imprisoning Christians, raiding house churches, and attempting to shut down houses of worship not endorsed by the Government of the People's Republic of China. (8) The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran annually funds $100,000,000 to the terrorist organization Hamas to continue their mission of jihad against the people of Israel. (9) The United States Government— (A) unequivocally condemns the terrorist attacks incited by and originating from Israeli land currently occupied by Hamas; and (B) recognizes the right of Israel to defend itself from terrorist attacks incited by Hamas. (10) The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is complicit in the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack against the people of Israel. By openly meeting with senior leaders of Hamas after the terrorist attack, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has publicly recognized their involvement such Hamas-led terrorist attack. (11) The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is— (A) perpetrating violence against its own people, including through the killing of protesters and the persecution of women and religious minorities; and (B) involved in severe violations of human rights throughout the Middle East, including by supporting the brutal regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. (12) Since 2021, the People's Republic of China has increased illicit oil purchases from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Such oil purchases would be permitted if the United States lifts sanctions with respect to Islamic Republic of Iran and re-enters the failed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The People's Republic of China remains the largest oil customer of the Islamic Republic of Iran. (13) A portion of the oil that the People's Republic of China buys from the Islamic Republic of Iran and other suppliers is potentially being transshipped to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. (14) The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action required that the United Nations arms embargo on the Islamic Republic of Iran expire in October 2020, which would have permitted the People's Republic of China to sell arms to the Islamic Republic of Iran and vice versa. (15) President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., has sought to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or a similar agreement, including by undertaking talks with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the other parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. (16) Officials in the administration of President Biden have acknowledged that rejoining a nuclear agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran would entail an easing of the economic sanctions stipulated by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. 3. Limitations with respect to any Iran nuclear agreement (a) Limitations prior to entering into negotiations No Federal funds may be obligated or expended to enter into any negotiation with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran with respect to an Iran nuclear agreement until the President certifies to Congress that— (1) the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has terminated— (A) all agreements involving the transfer of funds to such Government from the People's Republic of China; and (B) all agreements involving a strategic military or security partnership with the People's Republic of China; (2) the Government of the People's Republic of China has ceased to incarcerate Uyghur individuals in concentration camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; (3) the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has terminated all ties and transfers of cash to Iranian proxy forces, including Hamas; and (4) the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has verified the destruction of any and all chemical weapons, materials, and infrastructure. (b) Requirement for contents of agreement No Federal funds may be obligated or expended for United States entry into any Iran nuclear agreement, and the President may not take any action (including in the form of an agenda, agreement, platform, or plan) to carry out the goals of such an agreement, unless such agreement certifies the destruction of any and all Iranian nuclear and missile capabilities, weapons, infrastructure, chemical weapons, and offensive cyber activity. (c) Ratification required Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any Iran nuclear agreement shall be deemed a treaty subject to the requirement that the Senate provide its advice and consent pursuant to article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States. The President may not take any action (including in the form of an agenda, agreement, platform, or plan) to carry out the goals of such an agreement until the Senate has adopted a resolution of advice and consent with respect to that agreement. (d) Report required The Secretary of State shall submit to Congress, prior to the submission of a proposed Iran nuclear agreement to the Senate for its advice and consent in accordance with subsection (c), a report setting forth the manner and extent to which the negotiation and terms of such proposed Iran nuclear agreement comply with each limitation and requirement under this section. (e) Iran nuclear agreement defined In this section, the term Iran nuclear agreement means— (1) the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna July 14, 2015, by the Islamic Republic of Iran and by the People’s Republic of China, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and all implementing materials and agreements related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; and (2) any successor or other agreement exchanging relief from international sanctions for restrictions on the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran.