(Washington, DC) The House Foreign Affairs Committee has adopted an amendment offered by Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-19) to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act to ensure the State Department has the resources necessary to effectively implement U.S. sanctions against Iran. During a recent subcommittee meeting, testimony by the Director of the Office of Terrorism, Finance, and Economic Sanctions Policy confirmed that the office charged with carrying out the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 lacked adequate resources. Congressman Deutch’s amendment requires an evaluation of the department’s ability to effectively carry out its duties at its current funding level and an assessment of what additional resources would be needed to effectively enforce U.S. sanctions law.

“Inadequate staffing levels in the office charged with determining the validity of thousands of news reports, documents, and statements about the thousands of energy firms potentially operating or looking to operate in Iran is insufficient,” said Congressman Deutch. “If we are serious about stopping the threat to national and international security posed by a nuclear armed Iran, then we must not only continue to bolster the stringent framework of targeted, biting sanctions, but we must ensure we are providing the necessary tools to implement and enforce these laws to their fullest extent.”

Read the Congressman’s complete statement: http://bit.ly/deutch-stateauth-iran
Read the full amendment text: http://bit.ly/029-stateauth-text