Iran Nuclear Threat Top Committee Priority

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced the Committee’s first hearing of the 114th Congress will examine the ongoing Iran nuclear negotiations.  The hearing, entitled “Iran Nuclear Negotiations After the Second Extension: Where Are They Going?," will begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2015.  

Chairman Royce on the hearing: “It’s been over a year since the Obama Administration began its nuclear negotiations with Iran.  While pausing – not dismantling – some aspects of its nuclear program, Tehran is advancing others: pursuing new nuclear reactors; testing centrifuges and operating its illicit procurement networks.  All the while, the Administration has opposed bipartisan congressional attempts to strengthen its negotiating hand with new sanctions.  This hearing and other Committee hearings soon to be held will review the Administration’s negotiating approach and the challenges of reaching an effective agreement with Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism destabilizing countries throughout its region.”

Note:  Chairman Royce is the author of the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act (H.R. 850), which passed the House in 2013 and broadens economic sanctions, strengthens human rights sanctions, and increases oversight of the implementation and enforcement of existing sanctions.  Last year, the Committee launched a webpage on Iran to highlight bipartisan efforts to prevent a nuclear Iran.  The webpage is available at foreignaffairs.house.gov/NoNuclearIran.

What:
Hearing:  “Iran Nuclear Negotiations After the Second Extension: Where Are They Going?”

When:
10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27

Where:
2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses:
The Honorable Eric S. Edelman
Distinguished Fellow
Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments

Mr. John Hannah
Senior Fellow
Foundation for Defense of Democracies

Mr. Ray Takeyh
Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies
Council on Foreign Relations

The Honorable Robert Einhorn
Senior Fellow
Foreign Policy Program
The Brookings Institution

***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates.

***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

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