Press Releases

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rightly describes a nuclear-armed Iran as one of the gravest security threats facing both the United States and our allies, especially Israel. House Speaker John Boehner had every right to ask the Prime Minister Netanyahu to address Congress on the grave threats posed by radical Islam and Iran to our security and way of life. The Obama Administration’s efforts to inject politics into this situation is regrettable. Despite accusations from the White House, this invitation is not a departure from official protocol. Speaker Boehner recently extended a similar invitation to the President of Afghanistan – with no objections from the White House.

Congress has broad bipartisan agreement for a strategy that lifts sanctions in stages, forcing Iran to dismantle its nuclear and ballistic-missile programs in a transparent, permanent and verifiable manner, thereby finally complying with its own international obligations. Late last year, 352 House Members wrote Secretary of State John Kerry and emphasized, “We believe that Iran’s willingness to fully reveal all aspects of its nuclear program is a fundamental test of Iran’s intention to uphold a comprehensive agreement; …if Iran’s nuclear program is truly peaceful, "it’s not a hard proposition to prove."  The only reasonable conclusion for its stonewalling of international investigators is that Tehran does, indeed, have much to hide.”

I strongly believe that any potential agreement must take the form of a treaty, be debated fully by the American people and approved with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The Iranians already have made clear that any deal would require their parliament’s approval and President Obama is obligated, at the very least, to do the same.