Does Obama administration oppose key Iran bill?
Congress blows up over the administration's refusal to endorse renewal of the expiring Iran Sanctions Act.
The Obama administration has spent months suggesting it would support a key Iran sanctions bill when the time is ripe.
Not anymore.
In back-to-back appearances May 25 in the House and Senate, the State Department's point man on implementation of the nuclear deal flatly declined to endorse renewal of the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) before it expires in December. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say the secondary sanctions on Iran's energy sector give the administration international penalties to "snap back" to if Iran reneges on its obligations under the deal, but the administration disagrees.
"Having the ISA in place or not is not necessary for snapping back. We have sufficient authority through various executive orders," Stephen Mull told the Senate Banking Committee. "The administration is ready to work with the Congress on [reauthorization]. We would have to see what form it would take. ... There have been various, slightly different variations in how it would be renewed, so we would certainly be willing to have that conversation."
