Senator Coons, Hatch applaud committee passage of trade secrets legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), both members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after the committee passed the Defend Trade Secrets Act by a voice vote. The bill has 27 bipartisan cosponsors.

“I am very pleased this committee was able to come together in a strong, bipartisan way to help American companies defend the trade secrets that drive their growth and innovation,” said Senator Chris Coons. “It is clear that Democrats and Republicans in both chambers recognize that American businesses continue losing significant revenue and American jobs to trade secret theft, a national problem the Defend Trade Secrets Act intends to fix. I strongly urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor immediately so we can move forward in protecting the intellectual property of American businesses. We need this bill now more than ever to keep America competitive in the global economy.” 

“The Judiciary Committee’s overwhelming vote in support of the Defend Trade Secrets Act demonstrates the importance and timeliness of this legislation,” said Senator Orrin Hatch. “I hope the Senate will follow suit and act promptly to safeguard American ingenuity and give companies the legal protections they deserve. Not only has our bill attracted overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress; it has also garnered endorsements from a wide-array of industry stakeholders who know firsthand the economic losses caused by trade secret theft.  Both Republicans and Democrats agree that this bill is critical for American property rights and innovation.” 

Senators Coons and Hatch also published an op-ed on the Defend Trade Secrets Act in the Hill. 

Background

In today’s electronic age, trade secrets can be stolen with a few keystrokes, and increasingly, they are stolen at the direction of a foreign government or for the benefit of a foreign competitor. These losses put U.S. jobs at risk and threaten incentives for continued investment in research and development.

Current federal criminal law is insufficient. Although the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 made trade secret theft a crime, the Department of Justice lacks the resources to prosecute many such cases. State-level civil trade secret laws alone have not been sufficient to stop interstate theft. Federal courts are better suited to working across state and national boundaries to facilitate discovery, serve defendants or witnesses, or prevent a party from leaving the country. Laws also vary state-to-state, making it difficult for U.S. companies to craft consistent policies.

The Defend Trade Secrets Act would:

• Harmonize U.S. law by building on the Economic Espionage Act to create a uniform standard for trade secret misappropriation. Companies will be able to craft one set of nondisclosure policies secure in the knowledge that federal law will protect their trade secrets.
• Provide for injunctions and damages, to preserve evidence, prevent disclosure, and account for the economic harm to American companies whose trade secrets are stolen without preventing employee mobility.
• Be consistent with the remedies provided for other forms of intellectual property, such as patents, trademarks and copyrights, which are all covered by federal civil law.

The bill is supported by the Association of Global Automakers, Inc., Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), The Boeing Company, Boston Scientific, BSA | The Software Alliance (BSA), Caterpillar Inc., Corning Incorporated, Eli Lilly and Company, General Electric, Honda, IBM, Illinois Tool Works Inc., Intel, The Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), International Fragrance Association, North America, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Micron, National Alliance for Jobs and Innovation (NAJI), National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), NIKE, The Procter & Gamble Company, Siemens Corporation, Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and United Technologies Corporation.

Senators Coons/Hatch op-ed: “Pass the Defend Trade Secrets Act”

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, coauthored an oped in today’s edition of The Hill on why Congress must pass the bipartisan, bicameral Defend Trade Secrets Act. The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on the legislation later today.

Pass the Defend Trade Secrets Act

By Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Chris Coons (D-Del.)

Every year, industrial spies infiltrate American companies, stealing valuable trade secrets and leaking them to domestic competitors and corporations overseas. This crime cripples innovation and hampers economic growth, costing U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year. What’s worse, federal law does little to protect against this form of intellectual property theft. In fact, trade secrets are the only form of intellectual property lacking remedies under federal civil law. To safeguard American ingenuity and give companies the protections they deserve, Congress should act now to pass the Defend Trade Secrets Act, which we authored earlier this year. 

In addition to the billions of dollars in direct economic costs, trade secret theft also stifles innovation by deterring companies from investing in research and development. Consider the case of DuPont—the chemical company that invented the life-saving Kevlar body armor used by our service members. DuPont invested significant time and resources developing a Kevlar material strong enough to withstand the penetrating trauma of rifle rounds and grenade shrapnel. Because of the company’s efforts, DuPont has saved thousands of lives. 

But six years ago, a rogue employee leaked the manufacturing process of Kevlar to a rival company in South Korea, costing DuPont nearly $1 billion in economic losses. In an instant, the company’s comparative advantage—which it had earned after investing thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars—disappeared. Lacking a federal private right of action, DuPont executives were fortunate that the FBI was able to conduct a successful criminal investigation under the Economic Espionage Act.  But the FBI lacks the resources to investigate the tens of thousand or more thefts that take place each year.  Last year, in fact, the Department of Justice brought only 15 criminal cases for trade secret theft. The absence of a federal private right of action for trade secret misappropriation leaves American intellectual property vulnerable to theft and discourages research and innovation.

The Defend Trade Secrets Act seeks to stem the tide of trade secret theft by creating a harmonized, uniform federal standard to protect trade secrets. Without a federal standard, trade secret owners must appeal to state courts or federal prosecutors to protect their rights. This process is fraught with multistate procedural and jurisdictional issues, which are both costly and complicated. Moreover, the Department of Justice often lacks the resources necessary to prosecute many trade secret cases. These systemic issues put companies at a strategic disadvantage, especially when victims of trade secret theft need to recover information quickly before it crosses state lines or leaves the country.

At a time when trade secret theft is more prevalent than ever, U.S. companies must be able to protect their trade secrets in federal court. Our legislation offers that protection by creating a federal private right of action for misappropriation of trade secrets. It also allows business owners to seek court orders to retrieve trade secrets before stolen information is shared with competitors. To ensure that companies do not use seizure authority for anticompetitive purposes, our legislation requires those seeking redress to make a rigorous showing that they owned the trade secret, that the trade secret was stolen, and that third parties would not be harmed if an ex parte order were granted.  

Not only has our bill attracted overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress; it has also garnered high-profile endorsements from businesses in a wide variety of industries affected by intellectual property law, including General Electric, Honda, Microsoft, Nike, Adobe, and Boeing to name a few. These companies understand that our bill is a win for American property rights and innovation.

We are pleased with the widespread industry support and call on our colleagues in Congress to enact this bill into law.

Hatch is Utah’s senior senator, serving since 1977. He is chairman of the Finance Committee, and also sits on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and the Judiciary committees. Coons is Delaware’s junior senator, serving since 2010. He sits on the Appropriations; the Foreign Relations;  the Judiciary; and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship committees.

Sen. Coons on Medium: Reflections from Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Austria

In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) authored a post on Medium reflecting on his recent trip to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Austria where he met with heads of state and senior government officials about the Iran nuclear deal, the global campaign against ISIS, and the Middle East peace process.

Read the full piece on Medium here: http://bit.ly/1Qs6SzQ

Senator Coons’ statement on bill to ban refugees from U.S.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following statement after voting against legislation that would effectively block all Syrian refugees fleeing from war and violence from entering the United States.

“The United States has a long history of admitting those seeking refuge from conflict, and we must not abandon our fundamental, constitutional principles in moments of fear,” said Senator Coons.  “While terrorists are looking for ways to attack our country, this misguided bill serves only to embolden those who wish us harm. This legislation would not keep us safe – in fact, by imposing costly, duplicative, and unnecessary procedures for screening refugees, this bill would actually undermine our security efforts by distracting senior U.S. officials from the thorough processes we already have in place to vet refugees. 

“The proposals put forward by Senators Reid and Feinstein would strengthen U.S. national security through common sense reforms that would close critical loopholes in our Visa Waiver Program and equip airport security agents and police officers with the skills needed to respond to terrorist threats. We can and must maintain rigorous standards for vetting refugees while still providing a haven for those fleeing persecution and violence.”

Senator Coons in Foreign Policy: Implementing the Iran Nuclear Deal Is Only the First Step

WASHINGTON – On Friday, just one day before the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that Iran had met the requirements for ‘Implementation Day’ of the nuclear agreement, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, authored an oped in Foreign Policyurging the U.S. to strictly enforce the nuclear deal beyond ‘Implementation Day’ and deter Iranian aggression in the region.

The following day, Senator Coons released a statement in response to the announcement that U.S. negotiators brokered a deal to bring home American citizens held in Iran and that the IAEA confirmed Iran fulfilled all commitments required for ‘Implementation Day’ of the nuclear agreement: “The long path from comprehensive sanctions to ‘Implementation Day’ is proof that Iran will only respond to direct, aggressive pressure from the United States and our allies, and I hope the Administration acts quickly to punish Iran for violations of international law and continues pressuring Iran to end its aggression in the region.” Read Senator Coons’ full statement here: http://1.usa.gov/1Pejddz 

On Sunday, Senator Coons applauded the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) decision to designate 11 entities and individuals involved in procurement on behalf of Iran’s ballistic missile program, making them subject to sanctions.  Read Senator Coons’ full statement here: http://1.usa.gov/1ZKoxKP 

Senator Coons’ full oped below: 

Implementing the Iran Nuclear Deal Is Only the First Step

By Senator Chris Coons

Last summer, world powers reached a historic agreement to constrain Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Since then, the international community has taken some positive steps to limit Iran’s nuclear program. But if we fail to do more to strictly and aggressively enforce the deal, the agreement may not survive into 2017.

From Iran’s illegal ballistic missile tests last fall, to its dangerous military operations near U.S. ships, to its recent detention of two U.S. Navy vessels in the Arabian Gulf, Iran’s recent actions underscore that we must remain deeply distrustful of the regime. While I’m pleased that the ten American sailors detained this week were released safely, these incidents have shown that the Obama administration must do more to push back against Tehran’s regional aggression. The longer the United States hesitates to punish Iran for its bad behavior, the more we invite it to cheat on the nuclear deal and flout international rules.

Earlier this month, I traveled to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Austria, where I met with nuclear inspectors at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna. The trip also included meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other regional leaders. Many of these officials expressed concerns about an emboldened Iran. After these discussions, I returned home even more convinced that we must reassure our allies in the region that we will not waver in our commitment to push back on Tehran and its destabilizing actions.

It has been nearly six months since the nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed. Now, we may be only a matter of days from the JCPOA’s “Implementation Day.” On Implementation Day — which will fall on whichever day Iran is certified to have complied with all tenets of the nuclear deal — Iran will suddenly gain access to billions of dollars in sanctions relief — but it will not get that relief until the IAEA has certified that it has met a number of key milestones, including the elimination of its two short-term pathways to developing a nuclear bomb. Specifically, reaching Implementation Day will mean that 12 tons of Iran’s enriched uranium — nearly its entire stockpile, which took it a decade to develop and could have been transformed into bomb-grade material — has been shipped out of the country and secured, and nearly two-thirds of the Iranian centrifuges used to enrich uranium have been disabled.

Implementation Day will mean that Iran’s heavy water reactor at Arak, intended to produce weapons-grade plutonium, will have been disabled by filling its core with concrete. It will also mean that international inspectors have unprecedented access to monitor Iran’s entire nuclear fuel cycle, which includes all of its uranium mines, mills, and centrifuge production facilities, far exceeding traditional IAEA authorities. 

Despite these milestones, though, it’s clear that our efforts to deter Iranian aggression must extend beyond the nuclear deal. In September, the Obama administration led a successful interdiction of an Iranian ship loaded with weapons bound for Houthi rebels in Yemen, a violation of international law outside of the JCPOA’s jurisdiction.

The United States has long maintained unilateral sanctions against Iran for its human rights abuses, ballistic missile activity, and material and financial support for terrorism. Throughout negotiations over the JCPOA, the Treasury Department sanctioned more than 100 Iranians and Iran-linked persons and entities, and in recent months, the Department sanctioned Hezbollah officials and agents who sought to threaten Israel and provide military support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. Just last week, Treasury levied new sanctions against a Lebanon-based telecommunications firm for supporting Hezbollah. These efforts must continue.

Without sustained, consistent, and vigorous enforcement of these existing non-nuclear sanctions, we know Iran will continue to test the boundaries of the deal and probe our responses. That’s why I expect that the Obama administration will soon proceed with imposing new sanctions on Iran in response to two recent ballistic missile tests that clearly violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929.

Congress can play a constructive role in a number of ways. The Senate must confirm key national security nominees who have been blocked for purely political reasons. These nominees include Laura Holgate, a non-proliferation expert nominated over five months ago to serve as ambassador to the U.N. Agencies in Vienna, and Adam Szubin, an expert on international sanctions and terrorist financing, nominated last April to a critical post at Treasury.

We should also take a proactive step by passing the Iran Policy Oversight Act, a bill I introduced along with both opponents and supporters of the nuclear deal, to clarify ambiguous provisions in the agreement and offer increased support to our allies in the region, especially Israel. Congress must also provide adequate long-term funding for the IAEA, which is responsible for inspecting Iran’s nuclear facilities and monitoring its compliance with the JCPOA.

But we cannot enforce the deal alone. As I discussed with my colleagues and with regional leaders last week on my trip to the Middle East, we must work with our international partners to uncover and consider new information about Iran’s nuclear activity to measure its adherence to the JCPOA and continue to assess how long it would take Tehran to “break out” and dash to a nuclear weapon if the agreement collapses. Given the difficult steps that Iran must take before Implementation Day, that breakout time has been extended from just a few months to a year.

In the months to come, our willingness to effectively and aggressively respond to Iran’s ballistic missile tests, provocative actions in the Arabian Gulf, and other bad behavior will set the tone for our enforcement efforts through the next decade and beyond.

The Iranian government is paying close attention to everything we do. Congress, the Obama administration, and the world, must be equally watchful of Iran’s behavior. Only through vigilance and vigorous oversight can we deter Iran and enforce this important deal.

Coons, Blumenthal, Bennet, Booker, Wyden release letter urging president to enforce sanctions to stop Iran’s ballistic missile program

WASHINGTON – U.S. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Col.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today released a letter they sent last week to President Obama in which they reiterated their calls for enforcement of sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile program. Before Implementation Day, Iran was barred under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929 from “any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons,” and today the Treasury Department enforced sanctions against 11 entities and individuals supporting Iran’s missile program.

The Senators wrote: “Iran’s ballistic missile development, state sponsorship of terrorism, and human rights violations all remain clearly sanctionable activities by the United States and our allies under UNSCR 1929, and failure to impose sanctions could encourage Tehran to believe it can violate its international agreements with impunity. Now is the time to act. Enhanced sanctions to ‎stop Iran’s missile program should be imposed immediately – in fact, are overdue – and delaying them further makes them far less effective.”

Full text of the Senators’ letter to President Obama is below, and can be downloaded in PDF format here. 

Dear Mr. President:

We write to reiterate our request that you act immediately to deter Iran’s ongoing ballistic missile program and condemn Iran for ignoring its international obligations under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1929, which bars Iran from “any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.” We are deeply disturbed by the lack of enforcement, including delaying sanctions on those entities and individuals already identified by the Department of the Treasury as supporting Iran’s ballistic missile program. 

Iran’s ballistic missile development, state sponsorship of terrorism, and human rights violations all remain clearly sanctionable activities by the United States and our allies under UNSCR 1929, and failure to impose sanctions could encourage Tehran to believe it can violate its international agreements with impunity. Now is the time to act.

Enhanced sanctions to ‎stop Iran’s missile program should be imposed immediately – in fact, are overdue – and delaying them further makes them far less effective. These sanctions work by both barring those sanctioned from continued business with U.S. companies and by freezing their assets. Identifying, but not immediately following through on sanctioning key companies and associated individuals financing and providing ballistic missile components to Iran is a missed opportunity to hold Iran accountable.

Furthermore, delaying these sanctions is contrary to our unambiguous and enduring policy under the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to “deny Iran the ability to support acts of international terrorism and to fund the development and acquisition of weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them.” Following Iran’s multiple missile test violations, threats of escalation, and provocations in the Strait of Hormuz, it remains critical that you consistently adhere to your declared policy not only of strictly enforcing the JCPOA, but of acting vigorously to deter Iran from further ballistic missile testing and development.

Just as enforcement of comprehensive sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program forced Iran to negotiate over its nuclear program, so too must enforcement of missile-related sanctions be pursued to limit the threat of Iran’s ballistic missiles. We look forward to working with you to hold Iran accountable, ensure future compliance, and fortify our national security.

Sincerely,

Sen. Coons applauds Administration action after Iranian ballistic missile tests

WILMINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 11 entities and individuals involved in procurement on behalf of Iran’s ballistic missile program. 

“I commend the Obama Administration for designating 11 individuals and entities for supporting the Iranian ballistic missile program, making them subject to sanctions. I am also pleased the see the Administration taking action against Iran’s two recent ballistic missile tests, which are clear violations of UN Security Council resolution 1929.  

“Now that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action’s Implementation Day has occurred, it is more important than ever that the Administration work with Congress to take actions like these, which demonstrate our will to push back against Iran’s ballistic missile program, its human rights abuses, and its support for terrorism in the Middle East and around the world.  

“If we fail to hold Iran accountable and fail to support our regional allies, Iran will take advantage of the nuclear agreement U.S. diplomats worked so hard to achieve and continue its destabilizing actions that threaten regional and global security.”

Sen. Coons: ‘Implementation Day’ makes deterring Iran’s actions more urgent and more difficult

WILMINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after reports indicated that the U.S. and Iran have negotiated a prisoner exchange and that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed Iran has fulfilled all commitments required for ‘Implementation Day’ of the nuclear agreement reached earlier this year.

“I recognize that Iran has taken several important steps, mandated by the agreement reached with the U.S and our international partners, to disable or limit key elements of its nuclear program and to make much harder its efforts to develop a nuclear weapons capability.  I’m also relieved by the long-overdue release of four Americans from unjust Iranian custody, including Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian. 

“However, I am deeply concerned that tens of billions of dollars of frozen Iranian assets held around the world as a result of our years-long sanctions efforts will soon become available to Iran. Time and again, the Iranian regime has shown that it intends to continue supporting terrorism and aggression throughout the region, so ‘Implementation Day’ of the nuclear agreement means that our responsibility to deter Iran’s dangerous actions is both more urgent and significantly more difficult.  It’s also more important than ever that we strengthen our regional allies who are our partners in deterring Iranian aggression.

“Iran is only regaining access to its assets after taking significant steps to dismantle parts of its nuclear weapons program.  Our core national interest has always been to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, and if Iran has met all of its commitments, we will have significantly slowed Iran’s nuclear efforts for the next 10-15 years. 

“Specifically, implementation of this agreement has only occurred after Iran has done four things they pledged to do in the nuclear agreement reached last summer.  First, it means that Iran has shipped 12 tons of enriched uranium – nearly its entire stockpile – out of the country. Second, it has reduced its functioning centrifuges from 19,000 to 6,104 and accepted long term limits on centrifuge development. Third, it has disabled the core of the Arak reactor, which otherwise would have produced weapons grade plutonium, and finally, it has given the IAEA unprecedented access to monitor all its nuclear-related facilities, including uranium mines and mills and centrifuge production workshops.

“Despite these positive steps to fulfill the nuclear agreement we reached with Iran, it’s now more important than ever to deter and punish Iran for its violations of international law outside the parameters of the nuclear deal. Specifically, the Obama Administration must show Iran that actions like its recent ballistic missile tests will not be tolerated, and will instead be met with decisive action from the United States.  We also cannot tolerate Iran’s support for terrorism and repeated human rights violations.

“The long path from comprehensive sanctions to ‘Implementation Day’ is proof that Iran will only respond to direct, aggressive pressure from the United States and our allies, and I hope the Administration acts quickly to punish Iran for violations of international law and continues pressuring Iran to end its aggression in the region.”

[Audio] Sen. Coons on Iran nuclear deal: “If we don’t aggressively enforce this agreement this year, it may well come undone by next year”

WASHINGTON – This morning, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke with Delaware’s WDEL and WILM about his stance on Iran sanctions in the wake of Iran’s recent ballistic missile tests. Senator Coons returned this weekend from a trip to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Vienna where he met with heads of state and senior government officials about enforcing the nuclear deal with Iran and new developments in the Middle East. 

Senator Coons also focused on positive steps that have been taken toward full implementation of the nuclear agreement, including shipment of twelve tons of enriched uranium out of Iran.

Full audio of WDEL interview available here: http://bit.ly/1ZYDkOL

Full audio of WILM interview available here: http://bit.ly/1PpBij5

Excerpts from WDEL interview below:

“[The trip brought home] how important it is that we hear from the President in the State of the Union tonight a clear forward looking vision for how we are going to defeat violent extremism in the region.”

“It’s my hope that [Obama] will send a very clear and strong signal to the Iranians that his administration intends to actively interdict their efforts to support terrorism and actively take sanctions to the Iranians when they behave badly.” 

“If we don’t aggressively enforce this agreement this year, it may well come undone by next year.”

Excerpts from WILM interview below:

“This year we set the tone for what Iran expects of our behavior and we need to demonstrate that we are watching them like a hawk and that when they take steps that violate our sense of priorities and values in the region that we will take action against them.” 

“The suicide bomber attack in Istanbul this morning is a reminder that terrorism has spread throughout the region and that some of our other allies like Turkey, which has been our NATO ally for 50 years, are looking for help as well, but we have to keep our eye on the ball with Iran.”

“I’ll start by recognizing some progress that has been made. Iran agreed to do several important things. First, to ship out of the country the twelve tons of enriched uranium that they have built up over the last decade that they could have used to race towards a nuclear weapon. That just happened last week, I think, last week. Next, is to fill with concrete the core of the plutonium reactor that they were building. That should happen in the next two weeks. Last, and most importantly I think, is that they let the IAEA inspect all of their nuclear related facilities, twenty-four-seven, so that we have eyes on and monitoring capability to what they are doing.”

(Delaware) News Journal: Coons seeks tough response to missile tests by Iran

WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, below is an article The News Journal published today featuring U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) discussing Iran’s recent ballistic missile tests. Senator Coons returned this weekend from a trip to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Vienna where he met with heads of state and senior government officials about enforcing the nuclear deal with Iran and new developments in the Middle East.  

News Journal: Coons seeks tough response to missile tests by Iran

By Nicole Gaudiano

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chris Coons criticized the Obama administration Monday for “hesitation” in responding to Iran’s testing of ballistic missiles. 

The Delaware Democrat told reporters he is urging the administration to move forward with sanctions related to two missile tests Iran conducted in the fall following the international deal reached in July to curb Tehran’s nuclear program.

“I am concerned with the hesitation to move forward with the ballistic missile-related designations,” Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters in a conference call. “I’m going to continue to raise this issue, to push and to insist on rigorous enforcement this year.”

Coons’ comments follow his Jan. 3-9 trip with seven other Democratic senators to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey and Vienna. The trip focused on security developments in the Middle East, including implementation of the nuclear deal with Iran.

Coons, acknowledging Iran’s “bellicose” statements, said he disagrees with the country’s view that sanctions for the missile tests would abrogate the nuclear deal. Coons said the deal doesn’t preclude the United States from enforcing additional sanctions if Iran’s bad behavior continues on human rights, terrorism or ballistic missiles. That legal authority, he said, played a role in his decision to support the deal. 

“We should take action, and I think that’s critical to our demonstrating a determination to hold Iran accountable for its acts,” he said. 

In December, the administration sent Congress a list of people carrying out “nefarious actions” in the region, including actions related to the ballistic missiles, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough noted on Fox News Sunday. He declined to say when Iran would be punished.

“We will issue those [sanctions] and those designations at the appropriate time. There’s no question about it,” he said.

In a Jan. 6 letter, seven House Democrats urged the administration to announce sanctions “without further delay.”

“The United States and our allies must take immediate, punitive action and send a clear message to Iran that violating international laws, treaties, and agreements will have serious consequences,” says the letter, signed by New York Reps. Nita Lowey, Eliot Engel and Jerrold Nadler and by Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, Albio Sires of New Jersey, Gerald Connolly of Virginia and Susan Davis of California.

Coons traveled to the region amid escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran on Jan. 3 after protesters stormed and set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran following Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. 

Coons said a key part of the trip was to reassure allies, including Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, that the United States doesn’t intend to withdraw from the Middle East and doesn’t intend to embrace Iran as a new regional ally over its traditional regional allies.

“There is a lot of concern; there is a lot of misreading of what the agreement with Iran means,” he said.

Coons said he hopes President Barack Obama will explain during his State of the Union address Tuesday night how he plans to strictly enforce the nuclear deal and push back on Iran.

“I think it’s an important moment for the president to reassure our regional allies that we stand with them and that we intend to continue to contain Iran’s bad behavior and to insist on strict enforcement of this nuclear deal,” he said.