Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to pass the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act (H.R. 5931).
“The Administration paid ransom-money to the leading state-sponsor of terror. There are no buts about it,” said Congressman Darrell Issa. “The President’s already dangerous deal with Iran was made even worse by a decision to pay ransom to the globe’s number one state-sponsor of terror. Sending pallets-full of untraceable cash to a government known to fund terrorist groups put additional American lives at risk. It was a reckless decision that weakens our national security and put a target on more Americans’ backs by giving financial incentive for further hostage takings. The bill we’ve approved today will ensure this careless, dangerous mistake by the Obama Administration never happens again.”
Specifically, the legislation would:
- Make clear that the Obama Administration violated longstanding U.S. policy by releasing prisoners and paying ransom for the return of Americans held hostage by Iran
- Prohibit cash payments to Iran
- Demand transparency on future settlements to ensure they are not used to pay ransom.