In a 419-1 vote (Rep. Thomas Massie (R – KY) was the lone no vote), the House of Representatives today voted to renew the Iran Sanctions Act for an additional 10 years. The act is scheduled to expire by year’s end, barring its renewal.
Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Ed Royce (R – CA) condemned the P5+1 nuclear deal in justifying the act’s renewal, saying the US needs to show that it intends to “oppose” Iran in the Middle East. Though President-elect Donald Trump was critical of the deal as well, his staff has indicated he doesn’t intend to try to tear up the pact.
As of yet there is no word on when the Senate intends to vote on the extension, or indeed if they intend to. Senate Democrats are said to be pushing for a “clean” bill in line with the House version, while a number of Republican leaders are trying to add a bunch of new sanctions to the bill.
Adding more sanctions isn’t likely, however, to the extent that it might undermine the vote, and might also provoke a presidential veto, as President Obama has resisted several other Congressional bills aimed at undermining the P5+1 deal.