Joseph Lieberman on Iran
Voting Record
Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009
In Jume of 2010, the Senate voted on legislation to enact sanctions on Iran's oil system hoping to force it to engage diplomatically on its nuclear program. The measure passed 99-0. Joseph Lieberman voted in favor of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009.
Joseph Lieberman voted in favor of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009.
Designating Revolutionary Guard as Terrorists
In September of 2007, the Senate voted on a resolution that expressed the sense of the Senate on six items. These items were that:
- that the manner in which the United States transitions and structures its military presence in Iraq will have critical long-term consequences for the future of the Persian Gulf and the Middle East
- that it is a vital national interest of the United States to prevent the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran from turning Shi'a militia extremists in Iraq into a Hezbollah-like force that could serve its interests inside Iraq
- that it should be the policy of the United States to combat, contain, and roll back the violent activities and destabilizing influence inside Iraq of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
- to support the prudent and calibrated use of all instruments of United States national power in Iraq, including diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and military instruments, in support of the policy described in paragraph (3) with respect to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies
- that the United States should designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and place the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on the list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, as established under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and initiated under Executive Order 13224
- that the Department of the Treasury should act with all possible expediency to complete the listing of those entities targeted under United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1737 and 1747 adopted unanimously on December 23, 2006 and March 24, 2007, respectively.
Critics of the measure called it saber rattling even though it passed by a wide margin. Joseph Lieberman voted in favor of the resolution.
Joseph Lieberman voted in favor of the resolution.
Sponsored and Cosponsored Legislation
Session-111; Bill Number-S 908; Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act - Cosponsor
A bill to amend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to enhance United States diplomatic efforts with respect to Iran by expanding economic sanctions against Iran.
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should continue to support diplomatic efforts in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the U.N. Security Council to end Iran's illicit nuclear activities; (2) diplomatic efforts with Iran are more likely to be effective if the President is empowered with the explicit authority to impose additional sanctions on the government of Iran; (3) it should be U.S. policy to encourage foreign governments to direct state-owned and private entities to cease all investment in, and support of, Iran's energy sector and all exports of refined petroleum products to Iran; (4) the President is urged to impose sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran and any other Iranian financial institution engaged in proliferation activities or support of terrorist groups; (5) the Department of the Treasury should continue to work with allies to protect the international financial system from deceptive and illicit practices by Iranian financial institutions involved in proliferation activities or support of terrorist groups; (6) U.S. concerns regarding Iran are strictly the result of that government’s actions; and (7) the people of the United States have feelings of friendship for the people of Iran and regret that developments in recent decades have created impediments to that friendship.
Session-111; Bill Number-S 3022; Iran Human Rights Sanctions Act - Cosponsor
Directs the President to impose visa entry and financial sanctions on a person determined to be complicit in human rights abuses committed against Iranian citizens or their family members on or after June 12, 2009, regardless of whether such abuses occurred in Iran. Requires that: (1) the list of such persons required by this Act be made available to the public and posted on the Department of the Treasury and the Department of State websites; and (2) the President consider data obtained by other countries and nongovernmental organizations that monitor Iran's human rights abuses in preparing such list.
A resolution condemning the Government of Iran for restricting and suppressing freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly, and for its human rights abuses, and for other purposes.
Session-110; Bill Number-S 970; Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007 - Cosponsor
A bill to impose sanctions on Iran and on other countries for assisting Iran in developing a nuclear program, and for other purposes.
Session-110; Bill Number-S Res 580; Iran - Nuclear Weapons - Cosponsor
A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
Session-110; Bill Number-S 1430; Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007 - Cosponsor
A bill to authorize State and local governments to direct divestiture from, and prevent investment in, companies with investments of $20,000,000 or more in Iran's energy sector, and for other purposes.
Session-110; Bill Number-S Res 449; Iran and Ahmadinejad Comments - Cosponsor
Condemns President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's hateful and anti-Semitic statements regarding Israel and the Holocaust. Calls on all member states of the United Nations to publicly condemn President Ahmadinejad's statements as a violation of the principles of both the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Session-109; Bill Number-S 333; Iran Freedom and Support Act of 2005 - Cosponsor
A bill to hold the current regime in Iran accountable for its threatening behavior and to support a transition to democracy in Iran.
Session-109; Bill Number-S Res 292; Condemning Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Comments - Cosponsor
A resolution calling on the President to condemn the anti-Israel sentiments expressed by the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on October 26, 2005.
Session-105; Bill Number-S 1311; Iran Missile Proliferation Sanctions Act of 1997 - Cosponsor
Directs the President to report periodically to specified congressional committees on foreign persons (except those previously identified or sanctioned or subject to waiver) who, on or after August 8, 1995, have transferred, or attempted to transfer, controlled goods or technology, or provided, or attempted to provide, technical assistance or facilities that contributed, or would have contributed, to Iran's efforts to acquire, develop, or produce ballistic missiles. Requires imposition on such persons of minimum two-year sanctions prohibiting: (1) sales to such persons of items on the United States Munitions List (and terminating sales of any controlled U.S. arms); (2) the export to such persons of dual use goods and technology; and (3) the provision of U.S. financial assistance. Authorizes the President to waive such sanctions on the basis of additional information demonstrating that the sanctioned person did not commit the acts alleged.
Session-104; Bill Number-S 1228; Iran Oil Sanctions Act of 1995 - Cosponsor
Directs the President to impose certain credit sanctions against persons who, with actual knowledge, have made an investment of more than $40 million in any 12-month period that has significantly contributed to the development of petroleum resources in Iran.
Session-109; Bill Number-S Con res 78; Iran Nuclear Violations - Cosponsor
Condemns the government of Iran's many failures to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations, including its obligations under the Safeguards Agreement, its suspension commitments under the Paris Agreement, and prior commitments to the EU-3 to suspend all enrichment- and reprocessing-related activities. Commends the efforts of the governments of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom to seek a credible suspension of Iran's enrichment- and reprocessing-related activities and to find a diplomatic means to address Iran's noncompliance with such obligations. Urges the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors at its February 2006 special meeting to order that Iran's noncompliance be reported to the U.N. Security Council. Calls on Security Council members, in particular the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China, to consider any report of Iran's noncompliance in fulfillment of the Security Council's mandate to respond to situations bearing on international peace and security.
Session-110; Bill Number-S Res 449; Condemning President Mahmouds Statements - Cosponsor
A resolution condemning in the strongest possible terms President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statements regarding the State of Israel and the Holocaust and calling for all member States of the United Nations to do the same.
Session-112; Bill Number-S Res 386; Free and Fair Elections in Iran - Cosponsor
A resolution calling for free and fair elections in Iran, and for other purposes.
Session-105; Bill Number-S 1311; Iran Missile Proliferation Sanctions Act of 1997 - Cosponsor
A bill to impose certain sanctions on foreign persons who transfer items contributing to Iran's efforts to acquire, develop, or produce ballistic missiles.