{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://roskam.house.gov/Congress-Oppose-Iran-WTO", "Congress Urges USTR to Oppose Irans WTO Bid", "2016-10-07", "2016", "2016-10", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Peter Roskam", "R000580", "roskam.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Representatives Peter J. Roskam (R-IL), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), and Grace Meng (D-NY) wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman urging him to oppose Iran\u2019s efforts to join the World Trade Organization.\nAs first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the lawmakers warn that allowing Iran\u2019s admission to the international body could constrain future efforts to impose sanctions if needed.\n\u201cIn addition to further empowering and enriching Iran\u2019s tyrannical regime, Iranian accession to the WTO could seriously complicate our ability to combat Iran\u2019s support for terrorism, human rights violations, ballistic missile program and other illicit activity,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\nReps. Roskam and Reichert serve on the Ways & Means Committee, where they respectively chair the Oversight and Trade Subcommittees. Reps. Vargas and Meng respectively serve on the Financial Services and Foreign Affairs Committees.\nIran remains the world\u2019s leading state sponsor of terrorism.\nRead the full letter here.\n\u00a0\nOctober 6, 2016\nThe Honorable Michael Froman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  \n\tU.S. Trade Representative\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  \n\t600 17th Street, N.W.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0  \n\tWashington, D.C. 20508\nDear Ambassador Froman:\nWe write to gain information regarding the Administration\u2019s policy towards the possibility of Iran\u2019s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). We firmly believe that the United States must oppose Iran\u2019s membership in this important international body. In addition to further empowering and enriching Iran\u2019s tyrannical regime, Iranian accession to the WTO could seriously complicate our ability to combat Iran\u2019s support for terrorism, human rights violations, ballistic missile program, and other illicit activity.\u00a0\nIran, a WTO observer state, is seeking to accede to the 164-member international body. Following the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the EU, the UK, and Switzerland have formally announced support for Iranian membership to the WTO; Oman, India, and other member nations have expressed a similar sentiment. The U.S. has historically pushed back against Iranian accession to this global body.\nWTO rules require Member States to engage in non-discriminatory trade practices with fellow members. America\u2019s ability to impose financial or economic sanctions against Iran may be constrained if Iran were to accede to the WTO. The U.S. and other WTO Members should not be forced to defend against potential WTO disputes if we continue to impose sanctions against Iran.\nAs Iran remains the world\u2019s leading state sponsor of terrorism and continues to be a destabilizing force in the Middle East, maintaining our robust sanctions regime is critical. Iran must be held responsible for its actions, and our ability to impose sanctions is vital in deterring Iran from engaging in nefarious activities. We request that you provide answers to the following questions:\n What is U.S. policy regarding Iranian accession to the WTO? Is the U.S. definitively opposed to Iran becoming a WTO member?\n\tWe understand that the U.S. rejected prior Iranian requests to join the WTO; what were the grounds and what, if anything, has changed?\n\tWhat activities is USTR undertaking with regard to Iran\u2019s efforts to join the WTO? What progress has Iran made and what timeframe is it pursuing for potential accession?\n\tAs consensus amongst its members is mandatory in determining WTO membership, will the U.S. block Iranian accession to the WTO?\n Despite implementation of the JCPOA, Iran\u2019s hostile behavior remains unchanged. The U.S. must take all necessary steps to ensure the viability of the sanctions regime against Iran. We look forward to working with the Administration on this issue.\nSincerely,\nPETER J. ROSKAM\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0DAVE REICHERT  \n\tMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress\n  \n\tJUAN VARGAS \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0GRACE MENG  \n\tMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://roskam.house.gov/Congress-Oppose-Iran-WTO"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.150606829673052, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}