{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-joins-20-democratic-senators-to-express-profound-concern-over-second-iranian-ballistic-missile-test-in-letter-to-president-obama", "Kaine Joins 20 Democratic Senators To Express Profound Concern Over Second Iranian Ballistic Missile Test In Letter To President Obama", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Tim Kaine", "K000384", "www.kaine.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kaine Joins 20 Democratic Senators To Express Profound Concern Over Second Iranian Ballistic Missile Test In Letter To President Obama\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFriday, December 18, 2015\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees,along with U.S. Senators Ben Cardin, Chuck Schumer, Richard Blumenthal, Chris Coons, Gary Peters, Michael Bennet, Ron Wyden, Jeanne Shaheen, Debbie Stabenow, Heidi Heitkamp, Bill Nelson, Ed Markey, Kirsten Gillibrand, Bob Casey, Mark Warner, Cory Booker, Maria Cantwell, Martin Heinrich, Barbara Mikulski, and Jeff Merkley expressed profound concern in a letter to President Obama regarding a second ballistic missile test conducted by Iran on November 21st. \r\nIn the letter, the Senators write: We are deeply concerned by Irans continued violations of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1929 by testing a second ballistic missile on November 21, 2015If there are no consequences for this violation, Irans leaders will certainly also question the willingness of the international community to respond to violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231.\r\nThe letter sent to President Obama today by the 21 U.S. Senators appears below.\r\nDear Mr. President:\r\nWe are deeply concerned by Irans continued violations of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1929 by testing a second ballistic missile on November 21, 2015. Once again, the international community has an opportunity to demonstrate its resolve in the face of Iranian violations of its international obligations.\r\nOn December 15, a panel of expert monitors working on behalf of the United Nations Security Council reported that, \"On the basis of its analysis and findings the Panel concludes that the Emad launch on October 10this a violation by Iran of paragraph 9 of Security Council Resolution 1929.\" Unfortunately, some members of the UN Security Council failed to condemn this violation and failed to take steps collectively to enforce Resolution 1929. If there are no consequences for this violation, Irans leaders will certainly also question the willingness of the international community to respond to violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231.\r\nThe November test is Irans second recent violation of UNSCR 1929, which clearly states Iran shall not undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using ballistic missile technology. Clearly, the Security Council should take appropriate enforcement action against Iran in the face of this violation. On this matter, we recognize and appreciate United Nations Ambassador Samantha Powers ongoing efforts to build support to enforce consequences for the October 10 ballistic missile test by referring the issue to the Iran Sanctions Committee and advocating for a forceful response by the UN Security Council. However, in the time it took the Panel of Experts to make a determination on the first violation, Iran tested another ballistic missile.\r\nIn the absence of a UN Security Council commitment to enforcing UNSCR 1929, we request that you take action unilaterally, or in coordination with our European allies. Such action is essential to make clear to Irans leaders that there will be consequences for future violations of UN Security Council Resolutions and that the United States reserves the right under the JCPOA to take unilateral action in response to this and other significant actions by Iran in the areas of ballistic missile development, terrorism and human rights.\r\nSincerely,\r\nSenator Benjamin L. Cardin  Senator Charles E. Schumer  Senator Richard Blumenthal  Senator Christopher Coons  Senator Gary Peters  Senator Michael F. Bennet  Senator Ron Wyden  Senator Jeanne Shaheen  Senator Debbie Stabenow  Senator Heidi Heitkamp  Senator Tim Kaine  Senator Bill Nelson  Senator Edward J. Markey  Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand  Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.  Senator Mark R. Warner  Senator Cory A. Booker  Senator Maria Cantwell  Senator Martin Heinrich  Senator Barbara A. Mikulski  Senator Jeff Merkley\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.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-joins-20-democratic-senators-to-express-profound-concern-over-second-iranian-ballistic-missile-test-in-letter-to-president-obama"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7675201632082462, "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"}