Heard on the Hill

7/16/2008

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Senate Panel Approves Iran Sanctions Bill

By a vote of 19-2, the Senate Banking Committee approved legislation that imposes tougher sanctions on Iran and authorizes state efforts to divest from international companies investing in Iran’s energy sector. The Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2008, introduced by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL), includes major provisions from the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act (S. 970) and the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act (S. 1430). Similar bills passed the House last year. The new Senate bill closes loopholes in existing sanctions law and codifies the U.S. import and export bans on goods to and from Iran.

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House, Senate Panels Approve Aid to Israel

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $2.38 billion in security assistance for Israel as part of the fiscal year 2009 foreign aid bill.

When combined with the $170 million included in a recent supplemental appropriations bill, the security assistance package brings the total amount of aid to Israel for next year to $2.55 billion. The new sum reflects the first year of a 10-year plan to gradually increase U.S. security assistance to Israel so that the Jewish state can counter growing threats in the Middle East.

Reps. Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) drafted the House bill and Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) drafted the Senate version. Sens. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) also played critical roles in advancing the bill through the Senate committee.  •NER•

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