New Jersey-2010-SCR245-Introduced

Sponsored by:

Senator STEPHEN M. SWEENEY

District 3 (Salem, Cumberland and Gloucester)

Senator JENNIFER BECK

District 12 (Mercer and Monmouth)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Buono, T.Kean, Weinberg, Beach, Whelan and Singer

SYNOPSIS

Urges United States government to take additional action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

A Concurrent Resolution urging the United States government to take additional action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Whereas, The government of Iran is identified by the United States Department of State as a State-sponsor of terrorism; and

Whereas, Iran has a radical foreign policy that is hostile to the foreign interests of America and its allies in the Middle East, by funding and supporting groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah that actively undermine American peace efforts with violence; and

Whereas, An accelerated long range missile testing and development program in conjunction with certain nuclear activities which have no civilian purpose suggest that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons; and

Whereas, The presence of a nuclear-armed Iran would present a substantial and immediate threat to the United States and its allies in the Middle East, especially Israel, while potentially destabilizing the world by setting off a nuclear arms race among other countries in the Middle East; and

Whereas, Although current efforts to stop the Iranian nuclear program through diplomacy and sanctions have had an impact on the Iranian economy, they have not changed the behavior of Iran or kept it from advancing its nuclear ambitions; and

Whereas, There are additional steps that can be taken to put pressure on Iran by sanctioning the Central Bank of Iran, limiting access to refined petroleum products, and enforcing current United States sanctions against investment by energy companies in Iran's energy sector, while coupling diplomatic outreach with these tough new sanctions; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):

1. The Legislature hereby urges the United States government to implement additional sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and financial divestment against Iran in order to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be transmitted to the President and Vice-President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority leaders of the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the United States government to utilize additional sanctions, financial divestment, and increased diplomatic pressure to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran has been identified by the Department of State as a State-sponsor of terrorism, and it has engaged in a foreign policy that is hostile to the United States and our allies in the Middle East. Iran claims to be engaging in a peaceful nuclear energy program, but reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency have shown that they are engaging in nuclear activities with no civilian purpose, while working to develop long range ballistic missiles. The current sanctions against Iran have had a significant impact on the Iranian economy and its oil production capacity in particular. That impact has not had the desired result of forcing Iran to change its behavior and end its nuclear program. In order to accomplish this goal, further economic sanctions and financial divestiture is needed, including sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran, limiting access to refined petroleum products, and enforcing current United States sanctions against energy companies that invest in Iran's energy sector. This would increase the pressure on Iran and hopefully have the desired effect of forcing Iran to stop its nuclear program.