Contact: Caroline Rabbitt (202) 224-2353

Washington, D.C.- Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), together with Senators Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), today introduced the Countering Iranian Threats Act of 2016. The bipartisan bill implements and expands sanctions for Iran's ballistic missile development, support for terrorism, illicit arms transfers, human rights violations, and other destabilizing actions. It also extends the Iran Sanctions Act for 10 years.

"The Obama administration continues to downplay Iran's malign intentions, destabilizing behavior, and attempts to undermine the nuclear deal it agreed to just last year. But my colleagues and I see very clearly the threat posed by Iran. This bill will greatly enhance pressure on the ayatollahs' sponsorship of terrorism, illicit arms purchases, and human rights violations," said Senator Cotton. "Over the last several months I've worked hand in hand with Senator Corker to ensure this bill will also close the loopholes President Obama abused to implement the Iran deal without Senate approval, guaranteeing that a future president will never again be able to go over the heads of the American people to reach a bad deal with an avowed adversary."