Last week, with reports that Iran has violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by attempting to boost its uranium production, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., came out swinging at that nation and threw his support behind a bill to increase American support for Israel.
Buchanan weighed in on Wednesday after Iran violated the JCPOA set up by the Obama administration.
“Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and has a clear history of cheating on international arms inspections,” Buchanan said. “It is important now more than ever to protect Israel’s right to defend itself and maintain our unwavering support. That is why I’m supporting the U.S.-Israel Cooperation and Regional Security Act.”
Buchanan backed the proposal from U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., the chairman of the U.S. House Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, which increases support for Israel by $3.3. billion annually through 2023 and adds $1 billion over five years to add more weapons in the U.S. War Reserve Stockpile located in Israel.
The Florida congressman insisted that strong American support of Israel can help counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Tehran continues to show it was only interested in nuclear development and regional hegemony, not peace and stability,” Buchanan said. “When it comes to combating Iran’s ambitions of nuclear development and spreading terrorism, there is no daylight between America and the Jewish State of Israel.”
Buchanan joins around 250 other cosponsors of Deutch’s proposal which is facing a host of committee stops. The bill is currently before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs; Armed Services; Science, Space and Technology; Agriculture; Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Homeland Security; Transportation and Infrastructure; and the Veterans Affairs Committees. The bill has also been sent to the U.S. House Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research; Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties; Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Innovation; and the Aviation Subcommittees.
