HASC Passes Franks Amendment to Require Administration to Develop Military Option on Iran

For Immediate Release
Contact: Bethany Haley or Ben Carnes at 202-225-4576

Armed Services Committee Passes Franks Amendment to Require DOD to Develop Military Option on Iran

May 19, 2010 - Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) successfully submitted an amendment today during the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act mark-up in the House Armed Services Committee that would require the Secretary of Defense to develop and report to Congress a "National Military Strategic Plan to Counter Iran," in order to address Iran's ongoing pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.

Franks made the following remarks:

"Though the Obama Administration insists that it will take 'no options off the table' in dealing with Iran, the President's continued wavering and refusal to deal decisively with Iran makes it clear that the Administration is also refusing to put any strong and clear options on the table.

"Instead, President Obama seems to be adopting an unspoken policy of containment after Iran develops nuclear weapons; a policy that is pure madness in an era of jihadist terrorism and in light of the fact that Iran has proven itself more than willing to proliferate weapons technology to terrorist groups across the world.

"To be clear: under no circumstances must Iran be allowed to construct even a single nuclear weapon, and by refusing to resolutely determine a course of action to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, President Obama is in dereliction of his most sacred duty as President to protect the American people.

"However, I am encouraged by the passage of my amendment in the Armed Services Committee tonight to require the Secretary of Defense to develop a specific, national military strategic plan to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapons capability.

"Final passage and implementation of this plan may be our last remaining means to convince Iran that America possesses the capability and the will to do whatever is necessary to prevent them from becoming a nuclear armed terrorist state, and igniting an era of nuclear terrorism in the world."

Congressman Franks is serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, and is a member of the Committee on Armed Services, Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee, Military Readiness Subcommittee, Committee on the Judiciary, Constitution Subcommittee, and is Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law.