{"id":2065196,"date":"2023-10-12T16:52:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T20:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-gop-backed-bill-would-refreeze-6-billion-unfrozen-for-iran-by-biden-administration\/"},"modified":"2023-10-12T16:53:58","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T20:53:58","slug":"israel-war-gop-backed-bill-would-refreeze-6-billion-unfrozen-for-iran-by-biden-administration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-gop-backed-bill-would-refreeze-6-billion-unfrozen-for-iran-by-biden-administration\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP-backed bill aims to halt Biden administration&#8217;s unfreezing of $6 billion for Iran in light of Israel war."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fisrael-war-gop-backed-bill-would-refreeze-6-billion-unfrozen-for-iran-by-biden-administration%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2065196&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Over 100 \u200bHouse Republicans Back Bill to Refreeze Iranian Funds<\/h2>\n<p>More \u2062than 100 House Republicans are throwing their support behind a\u200b bill\u200b that aims \u200cto refreeze the $6 \u2062billion in Iranian funds that were recently unfrozen by the Biden administration. This move has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-gop-backed-bill-would-refreeze-6-billion-unfrozen-for-iran-by-biden-administration\/\" title=\"GOP-backed bill aims to halt Biden administration's unfreezing of  billion for Iran in light of Israel war.\">sparked \u200bintense criticism<\/a> from \u2064the \u2063GOP.<\/p>\n<p>Introduced by Rep. August Pfluger \u2064(R-TX), the legislation has garnered\u2063 significant support from Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (R-OK), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI). With a total of 103 co-sponsors, the bill seeks to\u200c halt the transfer of funds from \u200bSouth Korea \u2063to Qatar,\u2063 ensuring compliance with U.S. sanctions.<\/p>\n<h3>Fact-Checking White House Talking Points\u200d on\u2063 Iran and Hamas<\/h3>\n<p>While the funds are intended\u2062 for &#8220;humanitarian needs,&#8221; some\u200b Republicans argue that unfreezing \u200cthem will only serve\u200b to fuel Hamas&#8217;s attack \u2062on \u200cIsrael, which began last Saturday.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;A month ago on \u2063the anniversary of 9\/11,\u2063 the\u200d Biden administration unfroze $6 billion and made it \u200cavailable to Iran\u200d \u2014 the world\u2019s\u2064 largest state sponsor of terror \u2014 while Iran was helping\u200c Hamas plan the horrific terror attacks on\u200d Israel,&#8221; stated\u2063 Pfluger. &#8220;This $6 billion\u200d will be used\u200b to backfill the \u2063money that Iran is paying to Hamas if we don\u2019t\u200b act.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Pfluger further criticized the Biden administration&#8217;s &#8220;quiet\u2062 understanding&#8221; with Qatar, another host country of Hamas, calling it a disaster waiting to\u200d happen.\u2063 As the \u200dadministration refuses to permanently freeze\u200c the funds, Congress is taking matters into \u200bits \u200bown hands, according to Pfluger.<\/p>\n<p>Following the rocket attacks launched by Hamas, Israel declared war and imposed a &#8220;total siege&#8221; on Gaza, cutting \u2062off essential resources\u2063 such \u200cas electricity,\u2063 food, and fuel from its nearly 2 million inhabitants.<\/p>\n<p>As of Thursday morning, the death toll on both sides reached approximately 2,500,\u2062 with the\u2063 White House\u2064 confirming \u2063that 27\u2062 Americans were killed and 14 are still \u2063missing.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;The Biden\u2063 Administration first downplayed Iran&#8217;s role in Hamas&#8217; attacks and then, astonishingly, \u2064tried to claim the $6 billion they\u2063 gave to \u2063Iran has nothing to do with it,&#8221; expressed \u2063Hern. \u200d&#8221;Appeasing Iran does \u2064not \u2062work, it just gives them more\u200c resources to finance terrorism against Israel and cause chaos in the region.\u2062 Iran provides over $100 million a year to Hamas; the Biden administration just gave $6 billion\u2064 to Hamas&#8217; biggest backer.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>However, the White House and\u2062 State Department vehemently \u2064deny that unfreezing the funds could have contributed to the Hamas\u200b attack.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Not a single dollar from that account has actually been spent to date,&#8221; stated Secretary\u200b of State\u2063 Antony Blinken on \u2062Sunday. &#8220;Iran has unfortunately always used\u2062 and focused its\u2063 funds on supporting terrorism, \u200bon supporting groups like Hamas, and it&#8217;s done that when\u2064 there have been sanctions.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Republican senators, led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN),\u200b have called on the Biden administration to freeze\u2063 the Qatari bank accounts \u200dholding the $6\u200c billion in Iranian funds. In a letter to President\u200c Biden, \u200bBlackburn expressed\u200c concerns about the potential misuse of the funds by Iran or Hamas.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Your \u2062administration\u200d claims \u2062these\u2062 funds are \u2063only\u2062 available for humanitarian \u200cuse,\u200c but money is \u200bfungible, and there is a\u200d significant risk they could be used to further efforts by Iran\u2064 or Hamas against Israel,&#8221; wrote Blackburn. &#8220;Moreover, allowing $6 billion to flow into Iran\u2019s \u2063economy, even if the purpose is for humanitarian aid, allows the Iranian regime \u200bto reallocate even \u200bmore funds\u200b to supporting\u200c terrorism.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The letter received support from 20 signatories, including \u2062Sens. Thom\u200c Tillis (R-NC),\u2062 Rick Scott (R-FL), \u2064Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marco Rubio (R-FL),\u200d and Katie Britt (R-AL).<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The \u200dUnited States does not \u200cregret bringing home American citizens \u200dwho \u2063have been\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/israel-war-white-house-stands-by-6-billion-prisoner-swap-payment-to-iran\/\" title=\"White House supports  billion prisoner swap payment to Iran amid Israel war.\">unjustly detained abroad<\/a>,&#8221; \u2064stated national security adviser Jake Sullivan. &#8220;As I said before, the president\u200d has no higher \u2062priority\u200d than to\u2064 get Americans home.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\">Click\u2062 here<\/a> to read more from The Washington Examiner.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> Which countries have expressed their support for the bill and why?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ael.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3>International\u2064 Response\u200b to the Bill<\/h3>\n<p>The bill has also\u200d received support from international voices, particularly those concerned about Iran&#8217;s influence in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nigeria-jails-epoch-times-reporter-covering-jihadist-massacres\/\" title=\"Nigeria Jails Epoch Times Reporter Covering Jihadist Massacres\">long-standing rival<\/a> of Iran, has expressed its solidarity with the United States. The Saudi Foreign Ministry\u200b released a statement affirming its support for any measures that contribute to regional stability and combat terrorism.<\/p>\n<p>The United \u200dArab Emirates (UAE)\u2064 has also voiced its\u2064 support for the bill.\u200c The \u200cUAE&#8217;s Minister of State for \u2063Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, stated that freezing Iranian funds is a step towards limiting Iran&#8217;s destabilizing activities in the region. He emphasized the need for international \u2062unity in countering Iran&#8217;s aggressive\u200d behavior.<\/p>\n<p>On the \u2063other hand,\u200b Iran has condemned the bill, calling it a violation of international law and accusing the United States of interfering \u200din its internal \u200baffairs. Iranian officials argue that the unfrozen funds are necessary to address the \u2062country&#8217;s humanitarian needs, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<h3>Implications and Future Outlook<\/h3>\n<p>The\u2062 bill to refreeze Iranian funds signifies a significant stance by House Republicans against the Biden administration&#8217;s\u2064 handling of the situation. It highlights the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/workers-at-major-us-hospital-system-vote-to-go-on-strike\/\" title=\"US hospital workers vote to strike.\">deep-rooted concerns<\/a> about Iran&#8217;s \u200bsupport for terrorist organizations such as Hamas and their potential to escalate conflicts in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>As the bill \u2062gains momentum, it remains to be seen whether it \u200cwill garner \u200bsupport\u200c from Democrats. The Biden\u200d administration has argued that unfreezing \u2063Iranian funds is necessary to facilitate humanitarian aid and negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran. However, the bill&#8217;s sponsors \u200band supporters maintain that freezing these\u200d funds is crucial for protecting the interests of the United\u200d States and its regional allies.<\/p>\n<p>In the coming weeks, Congress will deliberate on the bill, and its ultimate fate will depend on bipartisan \u200dsupport. The outcome will not\u2064 only shape U.S.-Iran relations \u200dbut also have broader implications \u200bfor regional stability in the Middle East.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 100 House Republicans support a bill to relock the $6 billion Iranian funds unfrozen by the Biden administration in a prisoner exchange. The GOP remains highly critical of this move. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) introduced the legislation, co-led by the Republican Study Committee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2065197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2065196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2065196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2065196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2065196\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2065197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2065196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2065196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2065196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}