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Late last week, I voted in favor of two important bills aimed at stopping ransom payments to Iran and requiring the U.S. Treasury Department to disclose the assets of Iran's tyrannical leadership held in U.S. financial institutions.
When President Obama entered into the Iran nuclear deal late last year, he noted that there would be a prisoner exchange during which American hostages in Iran would be freed. He also announced that the U.S. would pay Iran $1.7 billion to settle an old arms deal dispute. Earlier this year, the U.S. made the first payment on that $1.7 billion on the same day that American hostages were released. While American policy dictates that our country does not pay ransom, the State Department later admitted that this was a ransom payment.
The Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act (H.R. 5931) stops cash payments to the Iranian government and sets in place a process to ensure that any future settlements with Iran are transparent.
The Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act (H.R. 5461) publicly discloses financial information about the Iranian regime by requiring the Department of the Treasury to report total funds and assets held in U.S. and certain foreign financial institutions by Iranian leaders, among other information. This will allow American citizens to now be able to see how Iran is funding its terror activities.
Both bills passed the House.
Read more about the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act and the Iranian Leadership Asset Transparency Act here. |
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Subcommittee on Transportation and Public Assets Hearing |
On Friday, the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Transportation and Public Assets, of which I am a member, held a hearing on vacant federal properties.
Currently, the federal government owns the largest amount of real property in the U.S. Many of these properties lie vacant and neglected. I questioned federal officials about why they don't dispose of the properties like they are legally required to.
Click here for more information about the hearing and my line of questioning. |
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