Sen. Cruz to Obama Administration: Release Details of the Iran Nuclear Deal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) yesterday blocked four political nominees to the U.S. Department of State and objected to one career nominee on behalf of Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Sen. Cruz’s objections are in accordance with a letter he sent to the Obama Administration earlier this year, declaring his intention to hold authorizations and block nominees for the State Department, unless the President chose not to circumvent Congress with the catastrophic Iranian Nuclear Deal.

“When Secretary Kerry chose to ignore my request that the State Department not submit this catastrophic Iranian Nuclear deal to the United Nations, Secretary Kerry did so with open eyes,” Sen. Cruz said. “He did so knowing the consequences because I had spelled them out explicitly: that the political nominees that he would want to put forward at the Department of State would not proceed if Secretary Kerry chose to undermine the authority of the Congress of the United States, to undermine the sovereignty of this country, and to instead treat the United Nations as the relevant decision-making body. He did so nonetheless.” 

“The single greatest national security threat facing the United States today is the threat of a nuclear Iran. The President’s catastrophic Iran deal only increases the likelihood that the Ayatollah Khamenei will possess nuclear weapons. There are some in this body who suggest we should trust Iran. Well, I do trust Iran. When the Ayatollah Khamenei, with the cheering crowds, burns Israeli flags and American flags and promises death to America, I trust that the Ayatollah means what he is saying.”

Watch Sen. Cruz’s objections here and read his full remarks below. 

“Reserving the right to object, in the hours that have followed the tragic shooting in San Bernardino, when all of our prayers are with the families of those who were murdered, of those who were injured, more and more of us are becoming concerned that this reflects a manifestation of radical Islamic terrorism here in America. The facts are still not entirely clear, but in the wake of the Paris attack, it is appearing more and more likely that’s what this was. 

“In the wake of these horrific attacks by radical Islamic terrorists, it has become abundantly clear that President Obama’s Iranian nuclear deal looks worse and worse and worse. The idea that the United States of America would be sending over $100 billion to the Ayatollah Khamenei, to the leading financier of terror in the world is profoundly foolhardy. At the time that deal was being negotiated, I sent a letter to Secretary Kerry informing Secretary Kerry that under no circumstances should the Obama Administration attempt to go to the United Nations and circumvent Congress with this foolhardy and catastrophic deal. In that letter to Secretary Kerry, I said explicitly, ‘Under no circumstances should the executive branch take such action before the congressional review process is complete. Thus, I ask that you provide written assurances that you will take all necessary steps to block any U.N. Security Council resolution approving the JCPOA until the statutory timeline for congressional review has run its course. Until you provide such assurances, I intend to block all nominees for the Department of State and hold any legislation that reauthorizes funds for the Department of State.’

“This was fair warning given ahead of time that the State Department should not try to circumvent the United States Congress, should not try to undermine U.S. sovereignty, should not go to the United Nations to try to approve a deal, particularly a deal that profoundly endangers the national security of this country. The Obama Administration ignored my warnings, went to the United Nations anyway, and I would note that under the terms of the Congressional Review Act, the congressional review period has not yet run. The Congressional Review Act says that that time does not begin to run until the President submits the entire deal to Congress, and that statute defines the entire deal to include any and all side agreements. We know at least two side agreements governing inspections that have not yet been given to this body. And so accordingly, the congressional review period has not yet begun, much less ceased. When I told Secretary Kerry if the State Department circumvented Congress and went to the United Nations, that I would block State Department nominees, that was not an empty threat. And therefore, I object.”

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“Reserving the right to object, the single greatest national security threat facing the United States today is the threat of a nuclear Iran. The President’s catastrophic Iran deal only increases the likelihood that the Ayatollah Khamenei will possess nuclear weapons. There are some in this body who suggest we should trust Iran. Well, I do trust Iran. When the Ayatollah Khamenei, with the cheering crowds, burns Israeli flags and American flags and promises death to America, I trust that the Ayatollah means what he is saying. And therefore, we should not be giving him over $100 billion and facilitating his getting nuclear weapons. Therefore, I object.” 

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“Reserving the right to object, I have not placed a hold on this nomination because my hold has been limited to political nominees, not to career foreign service officers serving as ambassadors. That being said, Sen. Grassley, the senior senator from Iowa, has filed a former notice of intent to object to this nomination, and therefore on behalf of the senior senator from Iowa, I object.”

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“Reserving the right to object, when Secretary Kerry chose to ignore my request that the State Department not submit this catastrophic Iranian nuclear deal to the United Nations, Secretary Kerry did so with open eyes. He did so knowing the consequences because I had spelled them out explicitly that the political nominees that he would want to put forward at the Department of State would not proceed if Secretary Kerry chose to undermine the authority of the Congress of the United States, to undermine the sovereignty of this country, and to instead treat the United Nations as the relevant decision-making body. He did so nonetheless.

“And as a consequence, the Obama Administration is proceeding forward under this Iranian nuclear deal as if it is binding law. The Obama Administration is proceeding contrary to law under the explicit terms of the Congressional Review Act. The period of time for congressional review has not begun to commence because the Obama Administration has not submitted the entire deal to the United States Congress. They have not submitted the side deals. And so as a consequence, under explicit U.S. law, it is contrary to the law for the Obama Administration to lift sanctions on Iran. 

“I would note to any bank at home or abroad that is in possession of Iranian assets, any bank that chooses to release those assets to the Ayatollah Khamenei or to other Iranian interests will be acting directly contrary to federal statutory law, and even though President Obama and Secretary Kerry are choosing to disregard the law that does not exonerate the private banks from potential civil liability in the billions or even criminal liability.

“The stakes are too high, Mr. President. As we wrestle with the ravages of radical Islamic terrorism, the idea that the President of the United States is trying to send over $100 billion to the Ayatollah Khamenei, a theocratic zealot who promises death to America, makes no sense at all. And it means if and when those billions of dollars are used to fund jihadists who murder Americans, the blood of those murders will be on this Administration’s hands. If you give billions of dollars to jihadists who have pledged to commit murder, you cannot wash your hands of responsibility for their doing exactly what they have told you they would do. Accordingly, I object.”

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“Reserving the right to object. Today the single greatest national security threat facing America is the threat of a nuclear Iran. President Obama’s catastrophic Iranian nuclear deal dramatically increases the likelihood that the Ayatollah Khamenei will possess nuclear weapons and will use those nuclear weapons to commit horrific acts of terror. Moreover, Secretary Kerry’s decision to go to the United Nations and circumvent the Congress of the United States, disregard the authority of the people of the United States was unacceptable and was profoundly damaging to this country. Accordingly, I object.” 

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