{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=C6C55E9C-4272-481B-A77F-45E610A42CD0", "Isakson: Iran Sanctions Extension Holds Iran Accountable", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Johnny Isakson", "I000055", "www.isakson.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today joined a unanimous 99-0 vote of the Senate to pass the Iran Sanctions Extension Act to hold Iran accountable for its attempts to threaten the United States and destabilize the Middle East. The bill extends sanctions on Tehran that would otherwise expire on Dec. 31, 2016.\r\n\u201cThis legislation is a no-brainer, and will help hold Iran\u2019s feet to the fire,\u201d said Isakson, a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. \u201cMaintaining sanctions against Iran is just one step to make certain the U.S. keeps any worthwhile leverage against this anti-American regime. I look forward to working with the new administration and the 115th Congress to review our comprehensive policy on Iran.\u201d\u00a0\r\nSpecifically, the Iran Sanctions Extension Act, H.R.6297, will reauthorize the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2026. The extension is critical in ensuring that United States can continue to sanction the Iranian regime for terrorism and weapons of mass destruction proliferation.\u00a0\r\nThroughout the negotiation of the Iran nuclear deal, the Obama administration made it clear that the deal would only provide relief from nuclear-related sanctions.\u00a0Extending the sanctions also provides the legal grounds for the United States to utilize so called \u201csnap back sanctions\u201d in the event that Iran violates the deal.\r\nThe legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 15, 2016, by a vote of 419-1. It will now go to the president\u2019s desk for his signature.\r\nIran, the largest state sponsor of terror, continues to fund its proxies throughout the region and has performed several ballistic missile tests since signing the deal in 2015.\u00a0Isakson believes we must continue to pressure Iran to end its provocative and destabilizing behavior in the Middle East.\r\nIsakson has taken multiple steps to increase pressure on Iran for its abuses. In March, Isakson introduced the Iran Terrorism and Human Rights Sanctions Act of 2016 to further penalize Iran though new sanctions for multiple abuses involving terrorism and human rights violations.\r\nIsakson has fought against the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the official name of President Obama\u2019s weakly negotiated nuclear agreement with Iran, and the senator has voted to reject the implementation of the deal last year.\r\nOn December 17, 2015, Isakson grilled key Obama administration officials in a Senate Foreign Relations hearing regarding implementation of the president\u2019s nuclear agreement with Iran, restating his concerns that the United States negotiated away all of its leverage to enforce accountability against Iran by ending existing sanctions and removing the ability to impose sanctions in the future.\r\nIsakson pointed out even then that his concerns had already come to pass following Iran\u2019s ballistic missile tests on Oct. 10, 2015, and Nov. 21, 2015. The administration took no action despite President Obama\u2019s many promises that so-called \u201csnap back\u201d sanctions remain an option.\r\nIran, the largest state sponsor of terror, continues to push the boundaries with yet another ballistic missile test in early March 2016. Isakson believes we must continue to put pressure on Iran to end its provocative and destabilizing behavior in the Middle East.\r\nAlso in December 2015, Isakson sent a letter to President Obama expressing his concerns over the administration\u2019s lack of response to Iran\u2019s blatant disregard for its international obligations and Iran\u2019s willingness to advance its intercontinental ballistic missile program that could enable delivery of a nuclear weapon.\r\n###", 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://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=C6C55E9C-4272-481B-A77F-45E610A42CD0"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7684423364698887, "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"}