Rep. Schakowsky Responds to Anti-Diplomacy Bill Opposition

Dec 15, 2011

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL) issued the following "Dear Colleague" letter in support of H.R. 1905, "The Iran Threat Reduction Act", which would prohibit diplomatic contact between U.S. officials and certain Iranian officials, heightening the prospects of war. While the anti-diplomacy bill passed 410-11, Rep. Schakowsky's letter provides clear acknowledgment that constituent communications in opposition to the bill made a real impact on the debate.

In responding to arguments from "constituents and others" that "this legislation may limit the Obama Administration's ability to conduct diplomacy with Iran in an effort to end its nuclear weapons program", Rep. Schakowsky argues that the ban on diplomatic conduct would not apply to "the persons with whom the United States would negotiate over the nuclear program fit into this category".

However, by banning contact by banning contact with any Iranian official who "presents a threat to the United States" or is "affiliated with terrorist organization", it leaves open the question of whether they would be any Iranian officials with any political power at all to speak with, given that many U.S. officials regard the Iranian government as a whole as a threat to the United States.

Furthermore, such an argument fails to recognize that the most meaningful diplomacy is not conducted with allies--it's conducted with adversaries, in order to save lives and prevent war.

For the full text of the anti-diplomacy provision which Rep. Schakowsky references, see here. Find out why former ambassadors and other experts oppose this bill here and read Kate Gould's analysis here.

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Dear Colleague:

I am writing to ask you to join me in voting for H.R. 1905, the Iran Threat Reduction Act (ITRA), when it comes before the House for a vote.

Some of you may have heard from your constituents and others that this legislation may limit the Obama Administration's ability to conduct diplomacy with Iran in an effort to end its nuclear weapons program.  However, this legislation will not limit the Administration's ability to negotiate with Iranian diplomats in any way.

The Iran Threat Reduction Act states in Section 601 that the United States Government may not have contact with any Iranian official who "presents a threat to the United States or is affiliated with terrorist organizations."  None of the persons with whom the United States would negotiate over the nuclear program fit into this category.  This bill would not prohibit any U.S. official from negotiating with their Iranian counterparts bilaterally, multilaterally, or on the sidelines of international conferences, UN functions, or inter-parliamentary dialogues.

Last Congress, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions and Divestment Act - the previous round of Iran sanctions legislation -- was passed by a near unanimous vote in the House.  However, Iran's quest for a nuclear weapons capability, as highlighted by recent IAEA reporting, has not slowed.  We must exhaust the full range of sanctions available to slow Tehran's march towards obtaining nuclear weapons capability. ITRA builds on past efforts by restricting the terms on which a company can pledge to end its work in Iran as an alternative to sanctions; expanding the types of activity that trigger Presidential investigations of potentially sanctionable activity; and widening the scope of sanctions on human rights abusers.

I do not want war with Iran.  But I do want to put significant pressure on the Iranian regime so that they return to the negotiation table and end their pursuit of dangerous, destabilizing, nuclear weapons.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Jan Schakowsky