Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement on the White House announcement that the interim nuclear deal recently agreed to by the Obama Administration, Iran, and other world powers will take effect on January 20:

“Given Iran’s history of deception, Congress has many questions on how this agreement will be implemented and verified.  That’s particularly the case as Iran has announced in recent weeks that it would continue to advance technology needed to make fuel for nuclear weapons.  I’m concerned that this agreement takes us down that path where sanctions pressure is relieved, but Iran maintains its ability to produce a nuclear weapon.  Given these stakes, it’s regrettable that the President does not want to work with Congress to bolster his negotiating hand with additional sanctions, which would go into effect should Iran fail to meet its commitments.  If Iran is committed to comprehensively addressing its nuclear program, there is no reason such legislation shouldn’t be welcomed.” 

Note:  Chairman Royce is the author of the bipartisan Nuclear Iran Prevention Act (H.R. 850), which overwhelmingly passed the House in July and is currently pending in the Senate.  The legislation would increase pressure on the Iranian regime amid its continued attempt to acquire a nuclear weapons capability.  The legislation would broaden economic sanctions, strengthen human rights sanctions, and increase oversight of the implementation and enforcement of existing sanctions.

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