Expect A Lot of Sanctions Talk This Week

On Friday, July 13, H.R.957, to amend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to expand and clarify the entities against which sanctions may be imposed, was discharged from the Financial Services and Ways and Means Committees and placed on the calendar to receive floor consideration. So far, it has not shown up on the Suspension Calendar for this week, but could at any time.

Additionally, Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) filed his bill S. 970 as amendment No. 2166 to the National Defense Authorization Act to expand and strengthen sanctions on Iran and countries that deal with Iran. This is the exact move made by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) last year and defeated 53-46 despite the fact that his sanctions bill had 56 co-sponsors at the time.