Congressman Lawler Joins Over 48 Colleagues in Urging Implementation of New Iranian Oil Sanctions

Yesterday, Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) led a bipartisan letter signed by more than four dozen colleagues from both parties, urging the Biden Administration to implement new sanctions on Iranian petroleum.

Last year, Congressmen Lawler and Moskowitz introduced the SHIP Act, requiring the imposition of sanctions on foreign ports and refineries that knowingly process Iranian oil. In addition to this bill, Representatives Lawler and Gottheimer introduced the Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act, which requires the imposition of sanctions on Chinese financial institutions that process transactions involving Iranian oil. Both bills passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, were incorporated into the most recent supplemental national security package, and became law when President Biden signed that legislation on April 24.

"The illicit Iranian oil trade has allowed Iran to raise over $100 billion just since 2021, allowing the regime to invest in its terrorist proxies and sow insecurity across the Middle East," the lawmakers write. "However, Iran does not act alone. China is the largest purchaser of Iranian oil, buying a significant majority of 80-90% of these exports. We have been clear that the U.S. must act decisively to stop the Iran-

China oil trade and eliminate this significant source of Iran’s revenue. Existing sanctions on Iranian oil must be strictly enforced, but it is also imperative that the Administration fully utilize the new authorities created by H.R. 815...As Iran continues its campaign of terror, we urge you to expeditiously implement sanctions enacted through the SHIP Act and the Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act. Additionally, we urge you to keep Congress updated on the implementation process and the results of these sanctions once imposed. We look forward to hearing back on the steps the Administration has taken to adhere to existing law."

Like the underlying bills, the effort has broad, bipartisan support from lawmakers and has been endorsed by a wide range of organizations, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) Action, and the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA).