Waltz, Ernst Introduces the PUNISH Act

Florida Rep. Mike Waltz (R) has introduced the Preventing Underhanded and Nefarious Iranian Supported Homicide (PUNISH) Act. The bill would enact stricter sanctions against the Iranian Regime.

According to a press release from the Florida Republican’s office, the sanctions would be in place “until the Secretary of State certifies to Congress that the Iran Regime has not supported any attempt or activity to kill a U.S. citizen, former or current U.S. official, or an Iranian living within the United States.”

In the Senate, Iowa Rep. Joni Ernst (R) has introduced companion legislation.

In a statement, Waltz praised the bill, commenting that “the Iran Regime is actively using its proxies to carry out attacks and threaten U.S. officials despite the Biden Administration’s ongoing efforts to negotiate a nuclear deal that will further enrich the world [sic] largest state sponsor of terrorism.” add

Waltz further commented that “the Biden Administration has a duty to protect its citizens from the Iran Regime’s proxies who have already carried out an attack on Salman Rushdie," adding that the Regime has also "plotted an assassination against former National Security Advisor John Bolton.”

Waltz affirmed that “maximum pressure sanctions must be retained against the Iranian Regime.”

The Iran Nuclear deal has been a controversial topic in the political landscape, amassing praise from Democrats but scrutiny from Republicans.

In the 2016 election, the Iran Nuclear Deal was put under a microscope as President Donald Trump (R) often criticized the deal, and he ultimately undid it when he was elected to office.

However, upon being voted out, the Biden administration is now seeking another deal.

According to Waltz’s press release, the bill “would codify the Trump administration’s ‘maximum pressure’ sanctions on Iranian government officials, its financial sector, and other sectors including Iran’s energy industry.” As well, “it would… prohibit the lifting of sanctions on Iran, including those that President Biden would want to lift to re-enter the Join Comprehensive Plan of Action – the Iran Nuclear Agreement – until the State Department can certify no assassination attempts or bounties are placed on current or former senior government officials for five years.”