Southern Wisconsin Times

Washington, D.C.- Congressman Bryan Steil (WI-01) has written a letter to President Biden, demanding answers regarding the administration's decision to allow Iran access to an additional $10 billion in previously restricted funds. The timing of this sanctions waiver is particularly concerning, given the recent attacks on U.S. military bases in the Middle East by Iranian-backed terrorist proxies and the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.

In his letter, Rep. Steil urges President Biden to reverse this decision, stating, "I am gravely concerned that this expanded access will support more violence against Israel, the U.S., and our allies." He highlights the fact that Iran has a long history of financing Hamas and other regional proxies, as well as investing in nuclear, missile, and drone programs. Rep. Steil questions the administration's justification for the waiver, stating that Iran is the world's foremost state sponsor of terrorism and has a track record of abusing humanitarian trade leniencies to finance hostile actions.

Furthermore, Rep. Steil emphasizes the ongoing enmity of the Islamic Republic towards Israel, the sole Jewish and democratic state in the Middle East, as well as its threats against U.S. interests and security. He points out that Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria have escalated hostilities in recent weeks, with over 61 attacks on U.S. troops in the region. Rep. Steil asserts that the largest state sponsor of terrorism should not be allowed to intimidate the United States, and calls for a reversal of this decision to restore U.S. deterrence on the regime.

It is important to note that this letter follows Rep. Steil's previous call on President Biden to enforce financial sanctions on Iran and provide answers to Congress regarding a previous sanctions waiver license that gave Iran $6 billion. Rep. Steil has been actively involved in addressing the issue of transparency in financial transactions related to sanctioned individuals, having introduced the Banking Transparency for Sanctioned Persons Act, which was signed into law.

In conclusion, Congressman Bryan Steil has demanded answers from President Biden regarding the administration's decision to allow Iran access to an additional $10 billion in previously restricted funds. Rep. Steil is deeply concerned about the implications of this decision, given Iran's history of financing terrorism and its ongoing aggression towards Israel and U.S. interests. He urges President Biden to reverse this decision and apply maximum pressure to restore U.S. deterrence on the regime.