The United States Senate has overwhelmingly passed Resolution 65
(1)
prevention of an Iranian nuclear weapon remains American policy;
(2) it
is essential to step up enforcement of sanctions against Iran; and
3)
the United States will stand by Israel should the Jewish state feel
compelled to take military action in its own defense against Iran
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 65
Strongly supporting the full implementation of United States
and international sanctions on Iran and urging the President to continue
to strengthen enforcement of sanctions legislation.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 28, 2013
Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr.
CORNYN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. CASEY, Mr. HOEVEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND,
Mr. KIRK, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CARDIN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr.
BEGICH, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BROWN, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr.
LAUTENBERG, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. HELLER, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr.
BAUCUS, Ms. STABENOW, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. DONNELLY, Mr. TESTER,
Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. BURR, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. BENNET, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mrs.
HAGAN, Mr. MORAN, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. JOHANNS,
Mr. WICKER, Mr. COONS, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr.
WARNER, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. SCOTT, Mr.
FLAKE, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. KAINE, Ms. HEITKAMP, Mr. COBURN, Mr. LEE, Mrs.
FEINSTEIN, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. PRYOR, Mr. VITTER, Mr. DURBIN,
Mr. NELSON, Mr. HATCH, Mr. MCCONNELL, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. RISCH, Mr.
COCHRAN, Mr. SHELBY, Mr. COATS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. THUNE,
Mr. JOHNSON of Wisconsin, Mr. ENZI, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. COWAN, Mr. KING, Mr.
FRANKEN, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. CORKER, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. UDALL of
New Mexico, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. REED, Mr. ALEXANDER, Ms.
WARREN, Mr. SESSIONS, and Mr. CARPER) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
April 17, 2013
Reported by Mr. MENENDEZ, with an amendment
May 22, 2013
Considered, amended, and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Strongly supporting the full implementation of United States
and international sanctions on Iran and urging the President to continue
to strengthen enforcement of sanctions legislation.
Whereas, on May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of Israel;
Whereas, on March 28, 1949, the United States Government
recognized the establishment of the new State of Israel and established
full diplomatic relations;
Whereas, since its establishment nearly 65 years ago, the modern
State of Israel has rebuilt a nation, forged a new and dynamic
democratic society, and created a thriving economic, political,
cultural, and intellectual life despite the heavy costs of war,
terrorism, and unjustified diplomatic and economic boycotts against the
people of Israel;
Whereas the people of Israel have established a vibrant,
pluralistic, democratic political system, including freedom of speech,
association, and religion; a vigorously free press; free, fair, and open
elections; the rule of law; a fully independent judiciary; and other
democratic principles and practices;
Whereas, since the 1979 revolution in Iran, the leaders of the
Islamic Republic of Iran have repeatedly made threats against the
existence of the State of Israel and sponsored acts of terrorism and
violence against its citizens;
Whereas, on October 27, 2005, President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for a world without America and Zionism;
Whereas, in February 2012, Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei
said of Israel, `The Zionist regime is a true cancer tumor on this
region that should be cut off. And it definitely will be cut off.';
Whereas, in August 2012, Supreme Leader Khamenei said of Israel,
`This bogus and fake Zionist outgrowth will disappear off the landscape
of geography.';
Whereas, in August 2012, President Ahmadinejad said that `in the
new Middle East . . . there will be no trace of the American presence
and the Zionists';
Whereas the Department of State has designated the Islamic
Republic of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984 and has
characterized the Islamic Republic of Iran as the `most active state
sponsor of terrorism' in the world;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has
provided weapons, training, funding, and direction to terrorist groups,
including Hamas, Hizballah, and Shiite militias in Iraq that are
responsible for the murder of hundreds of United States service members
and innocent civilians;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has
provided weapons, training, and funding to the regime of Bashar al Assad
that has been used to suppress and murder its own people;
Whereas, since at least the late 1980s, the Government of the
Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in a sustained and well-documented
pattern of illicit and deceptive activities to acquire a nuclear weapons
capability;
Whereas, since September 2005, the Board of Governors of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has found the Islamic Republic
of Iran to be in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement with the
IAEA, which Iran is obligated to undertake as a non-nuclear-weapon State
Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done
at Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968, and entered into force
March 5, 1970 (NPT);
Whereas the United Nations Security Council has adopted multiple
resolutions since 2006 demanding of the Government of the Islamic
Republic of Iran its full and sustained suspension of all uranium
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities and its full cooperation
with the IAEA on all outstanding issues related to its nuclear
activities, particularly those concerning the possible military
dimensions of its nuclear program;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has
refused to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions or to
fully cooperate with the IAEA;
Whereas, in November 2011, the IAEA Director General issued a
report that documented `serious concerns regarding possible military
dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme,' and affirmed that information
available to the IAEA indicates that `Iran has carried out activities
relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device' and that some
activities may be ongoing;
Whereas the Government of Iran stands in violation of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights for denying its citizens basic
freedoms, including the freedoms of expression, religion, peaceful
assembly and movement, and for flagrantly abusing the rights of
minorities and women;
Whereas in his State of the Union Address on January 24, 2012,
President Barack Obama stated, `Let there be no doubt: America is
determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will
take no options off the table to achieve that goal.';
Whereas Congress has passed and the President has signed into law
legislation imposing significant economic and diplomatic sanctions on
Iran to encourage the Government of Iran to abandon its pursuit of
nuclear weapons and end its support for terrorism;
Whereas these sanctions, while having significant effect, have
yet to persuade Iran to abandon its illicit pursuits and comply with
United Nations Security Council resolutions;
Whereas more stringent enforcement of sanctions legislation,
including elements targeting oil exports and access to foreign exchange,
could still lead the Government of Iran to change course;
Whereas, in his State of the Union Address on February 12, 2013,
President Obama reiterated, `The leaders of Iran must recognize that now
is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands
united in demanding that they meet their obligations. And we will do
what is necessary to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon.';
Whereas, on March 4, 2012, President Obama stated, `Iran's
leaders should understand that I do not have a policy of containment; I
have a policy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.';
Whereas, on October 22, 2012, President Obama said of Iran, `The
clock is ticking . . . And we're going to make sure that if they do not
meet the demands of the international community, then we are going to
take all options necessary to make sure they don't have a nuclear
weapon.';
Whereas, on May 19, 2011, President Obama stated, `Every state
has the right to self-defense, and Israel must be able to defend itself,
by itself, against any threat.';
Whereas, on September 21, 2011, President Obama stated,
`America's commitment to Israel's security is unshakeable. Our
friendship with Israel is deep and enduring.';
Whereas, on March 4, 2012, President Obama stated, `And whenever
an effort is made to delegitimize the state of Israel, my administration
has opposed them. So there should not be a shred of doubt by now: when
the chips are down, I have Israel's back.';
Whereas, on October 22, 2012, President Obama stated, `Israel is a
true friend. And if Israel is attacked, America will stand with Israel.
I've made that clear throughout my presidency . . . I will stand with
Israel if they are attacked.';
Whereas, in December 2012, 74 United States Senators wrote to
President Obama `As you begin your second term as President, we ask you
to reiterate your readiness to take military action against Iran if it
continues its efforts to acquire a nuclear weapon. In addition, we urge
you to work with our European and Middle Eastern allies to demonstrate
to the Iranians that a credible and capable multilateral coalition
exists that would support a military strike if, in the end, this is
unfortunately necessary.'; and
Whereas the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation
Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-150) stated that it is United States policy
to support Israel's inherent right to self-defense: Now, therefore, be
it
SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(1) reaffirms the special bonds of friendship and
cooperation that have existed between the United States and the State of
Israel for more than sixty years and that enjoy overwhelming bipartisan
support in Congress and among the people of the United States;
(2) strongly supports the close military, intelligence,
and security cooperation that President Obama has pursued with Israel
and urges this cooperation to continue and deepen;
(3) deplores and condemns, in the strongest possible
terms, the reprehensible statements and policies of the leaders of the
Islamic Republic of Iran threatening the security and existence of
Israel;
(4) recognizes the tremendous threat posed to the
United States, the West, and Israel by the Government of Iran's
continuing pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability;
(5) reiterates that the policy of the United States is
to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon capability and to take
such action as may be necessary to implement this policy;
(6) reaffirms its strong support for the full
implementation of United States and international sanctions on Iran and
urges the President to continue and strengthen enforcement of sanctions
legislation;
(7) declares that the United States has a vital
national interest in, and unbreakable commitment to, ensuring the
existence, survival, and security of the State of Israel, and reaffirms
United States support for Israel's right to self-defense; and
(8) urges that, if the Government of Israel is
compelled to take military action in legitimate self-defense against
Iran's nuclear weapons program, the United States Government should
stand with Israel and provide, in accordance with United States law and
the constitutional responsibility of Congress to authorize the use of
military force, diplomatic, military, and economic support to the
Government of Israel in its defense of its territory, people, and
existence.
SEC. 2. RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this resolution shall be construed as an authorization for the use of force or a declaration of war.
***********
Take a minute and thank your Senator.
