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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN-08) voted to support the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act  (H.R. 5961), which will permanently freeze the $6 billion the Biden administration released in their hostage deal with Iran in September. H.R. 5961 imposes immediate, mandatory sanctions to limit Iran’s ability to continue to fund terrorism, develop nuclear weapons, and oppress its people. Dr. Bucshon released the statement below following his vote:

“Releasing fungible assets to Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism which has repeatedly subsidized attacks around the globe, sets an extremely dangerous precedent and makes the world less safe,” said Dr. Bucshon. “It is critical that the United States does not waver when it comes to the terrorist-sponsoring regime in Tehran that publicly chants ‘death to America’. Permanently freezing this $6 billion is a common-sense policy that reaffirms the United States’ commitment to stand with our key alley, Israel, mitigate Iran’s nuclear build up, and promote peace in the Middle East.”   

BACKGROUND

Dr. Bucshon served in the military as a United States Navy Reservist for almost a decade and has consistently warned that the United States cannot stand idly by while Iran disregards current and past agreements, fuels state-sponsored terrorism, and vows to eliminate Israel. 

Following the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist attack in Israel in October 2023, Dr. Bucshon and nearly 100 of his colleagues sent a bipartisan letter to President Biden urging him to take specific actions that would prevent Iran from accessing billions of dollars to further subsidize terrorist activity in Israel and elsewhere around the world. In the letter, the members expressed concerns over the Iranian regime's continued support for terrorist groups, including Hamas, and their attempts to wipe Israel off the map. Following the release of this bipartisan letter, the Biden administration, in coordination with Qatar, agreed to temporarily halt Iran’s access to the $6 billion in assets. 

In October 2023, Dr. Bucshon also joined over 380 of his colleagues in cosponsoring a resolution to affirm the United States’ unwavering support of Israel. The resolution reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to aid Israel through security assistance while emphasizing support of Israel’s right to self-defense. The resolution also strongly condemns Iran for providing financial support to Hamas and other terrorist groups in the region. 

In 2018, Dr. Bucshon applauded President Trump’s decision to end the United States’ participation in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and re-imposing sanctions lifted by the agreement. Dr. Bucshon argued the JCPOA was a bad, one-sided deal that not only preserved Iran’s nuclear program, but it provided no substantial assurances for verification of compliance with the deal and made it easier for Russia to deal weapons to Iran by lifting the arms embargo. The flawed deal also gave Iran, which is the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, billions in cash that even the Obama administration admitted at the time could be used to help fund terrorist organizations that kill Americans, and allowed Iran to continue to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles that would give the regime long-range firing capacities to deliver a nuclear weapon. 

In 2017, Dr. Bucshon joined House Republicans in holding Iran accountable by voting to support the Iran Missiles and International Sanctions Enforcement Act (H.R. 1698), Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act (H.R. 3329), and Sanctioning Hezbollah’s Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act (H.R. 3342). 

Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. represents Indiana’s 8^th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives and is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

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