Congressman Mike Ezell joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers to vote for a package of legislation aimed at Iran's nuclear missile efforts and human rights abuses. The package included the Fight CRIME Act, which Congressman Ezell cosponsored.
"I'm proud to take these votes tonight to sanction the repressive Iranian regime," said Congressman Ezell. "Their pursuit of a nuclear missile threatens the entire Middle East, and we must continue to use economic sanctions and international pressure to prevent them from ever attaining that goal."
The votes come just one day after President Biden notified Congress of his intentions to release $6 billion in sanctioned funds to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange. The deal also includes the swap of five Iranian prisoners for five American prisoners.
While the Biden administration claims the funds will only be used for humanitarian purposes, Iran's president told NBC news his government would allocate the money "wherever we need it."
"On the twenty-second anniversary of 9/11, this administration decided to give the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism six billion dollars," Congressman Ezell said. "While I'm glad these American prisoners are being freed, President Biden's disastrous deal gives our enemies more incentive to hold Americans hostage. We cannot continue to display this kind of weakness on the world stage."
