Allen Votes to Prohibit Future “Iransom” Payments
Washington,
September 23, 2016
WASHINGTON, DC– Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.-12), voted in favor of H.R. 5931, the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act. This bill was the House’s legislative response to the Administration’s cash ransom payment to Iran last year. The bipartisan measure passed the House late last night by a vote of 254- 163. “For years and years, the United States government has held a long-standing policy of not paying ransom for prisoners—but our legacy has quickly been diminished by the President. On the same day his reckless Iran Deal was implemented, we now know that a $400 million cash ransom was given to Iran in a prisoner exchange releasing several American hostages. The Administration continuously denies that a ransom was paid, but acknowledges the cash was used as ‘leverage.’ The American people are smarter than that. Either way the media or the Administration try and spin it, a ransom was paid. The President continues to invest our trust and money into Iran— a country that is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. This shady transaction sets a dangerous precedent and is a threat to our national security. That is why I was proud to vote for legislation to ensure this never happens again. I will not stand for this type of deceit by our Commander-in-Chief that endangers American citizens here and abroad, and urge my colleagues in the Senate to act swiftly and pass this legislation.” Background: On the same day that the President's Iran Deal was implemented, he also announced that the U.S. had agreed to a prisoner exchange. In this swap, the U.S. would pay Iran $1.7 billion and Iran would release several innocent American hostages in exchange for the U.S. to grant clemency and release seven Iranians who were serving sentences or awaiting trial for serious crimes (like aiding Iran’s illegal weapons program). We have since learned that there was a $400 million cash payment to Iran that was used as ‘leverage’ to ensure that the prisoners were released. H.R. 5931:
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