White House Refusing to Impose Iran Sanctions Required by Rep. Banks’ MAHSA Act
Washington,
July 25, 2024
Today President Biden missed the Iran sanctions assement deadline required by Congressman Jim Banks’ bill, the MAHSA Act, which directs the president to issue an assessment of potential sanctions on the Supreme Leader of Iran and other senior Iranian officials by July 23, 2024 and to then impose sanctions on those officials. In response, Rep. Banks released the below statement. Find a one-pager on the MAHSA Act here. Said Congressman Banks: “ This is the most anti-Israel White House in American history. Vice President Harris has shamefully refused to preside over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s first joint address since Hamas’s horrific October 7th killing spree, while the president ignores Congress and the law to benefit the complicit Iranian regime. I hope all who attend today’s historic speech recognize the damage done this leaderless and weak administration has done to America and our allies. I am calling on the White House to comply with the law, enforce the MAHSA Act and hold Iran accountable.” Background: The House first passed the MAHSA Act in September 2023 and Rep. Banks first introduced the MAHSA Act during the 117th Congress after the tragic murder of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iran’s “Morality Police.” Mahsa Amini’s death triggered pro-democracy and anti-regime protests in Iran and around the world. The House first passed the MAHSA Act in September 2023, with Senators Rubio (R-FL) and Padilla (D-CA) introducing companion legislation. Congress passed the bill in April 2024, forcing President Biden to sign it into law. The MAHSA Act had 128 House cosponsors and is supported by the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). |