[Page: E2071]
- Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, along with a number of my colleagues, I am today introducing the Iran Missile Proliferation Sanctions Act of 1997. This legislation provides for tougher sanctions on organizations, particularly in Russia, that have transferred missile hardware or technology to Iran.
- It requires the President to submit a report to Congress identifying organizations which have transferred missile hardware or technology to Iran after August 8, 1995, when Russia joined the international Missile Technology Control Regime [MTCR].
- Those firms identified in the report would be subject to 2-year sanctions that include a ban on certain types of export licenses and a ban on any U.S. assistance, although the President would have authority to waive the sanctions under certain circumstances.
- One of our most important national security objectives is to prevent Iran from obtaining, and in some cases improving, their capability to develop and deploy weapons of mass destruction. Most critical in the short term is the prospect of Iran enhancing its ballistic missile capability.
- It is clear that Russia has already provided Iran with critical know-how and technological support. The question now facing us is whether we can halt any further assistance, and time is short. We have only a few months to prevent Iran from achieving a significant advance in its missile program.
- There is more than credible information that Russian organizations have been allowed to assist Iran in this area in violation of Russia's international obligations under the Missile Technology Control Regime. Amazingly, however, despite such assistance the administration has not applied United States missile sanctions laws to these Russian organizations.
- The purpose of our legislation to require the administration to face up to the dangers that we face as Iran strives to develop weapons of mass destruction, and to take appropriate action.
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