Press Releases

Yesterday, Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) led a bipartisan letter, signed by more than three dozen of their colleagues from both parties, urging the Biden Administration to implement new sanctions on Iranian petroleum. 

Last year, Representatives Lawler and Moskowitz introduced the SHIP Act requiring the imposition of sanctions on foreign ports and refineries that knowingly process Iranian oil. In addition to this bill, Representatives Lawler and Gottheimer introduced the Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act, which requires the imposition of sanctions on Chinese financial institutions that process transactions involving Iranian oil. Both bills passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, were incorporated into the most recent supplemental national security package, and became law when President Biden signed that legislation on April 24th.

"The illicit Iranian oil trade has allowed Iran to raise over $100 billion just since 2021, allowing the regime to invest in its terrorist-proxies and sow insecurity across the Middle East," the lawmakers write. "However, Iran does not act alone. China is the largest purchaser of Iranian oil, buying a significant majority of 80-90% of these exports. We have been clear that the U.S. must act decisively to stop the Iran-

China oil trade and eliminate this significant source of Iran’s revenue. Existing sanctions on Iranian oil must be strictly enforced, but it is also imperative that the

Administration fully utilize the new authorities created by H.R. 815."

"As Iran continues its campaign of terror, we urge you to expeditiously implement sanctions enacted through the SHIP Act and the Iran-China Energy Sanctions Act," the lawmakers conclude. "Additionally, we urge you to keep Congress updated on the implementation process and the results of these sanctions once imposed. We look forward to hearing back on the steps the Administration has taken to adhere to existing law."

Like the underlying bills, the effort has broad, bipartisan support from lawmakers and has been endorsed by a wide range of organizations, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) Action, and the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA).

"At a time when Iran’s dangerous destabilization of the Middle East is on full display, it’s imperative that the United States spare no effort to restrict funding for the regime's nefarious designs. Stringent enforcement of sanctions - especially on Iran's energy sector - is a bipartisan priority that must be implemented sooner rather than later," AIPAC stated.  

"FDD Action strongly supports Congressional efforts to enforce sanctions against enablers of Iran’s illicit oil trade. Tehran has raised over $100 billion from oil exports since 2021, which it uses to finance terror proxies and sow instability across the Middle East. With the enactment of the National Security Act of 2024, which includes new authorities targeting those who aid and abet the regime’s terrorist activities, now is the time for the administration to rigorously implement the law to kneecap Iranian oil exports," FDD Action stated.

"The Biden administration suspended enforcement of most Iran sanctions in an unsuccessful bid to have them rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal. The results of this gambit have been disastrous. Iran’s foreign currency reserves have skyrocketed and the budgets for the regime’s various terror and repression arms have increased dramatically. In response, earlier this year Congress pressed the Biden Administration to enforce oil sanctions against Iran by passing the SHIP Act. We commend representatives led by Reps. Lawler, Moskowitz, and Gottheimer for urging the administration to implement this critically important law," JINSA stated.

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of the 118th Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties.