December 13, 2011 | Quote
Inside the Conference Negotiations on Iran Sanctions
“Every administration wants total discretion on foreign policy, but that is an impulse that Congress must always resist,” Berman said at a conference on Thursday sponsored by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), a conservative policy and research organization. Berman spoke just after a panel on Syria, moderated by your humble Cable guy.
“I will not, and Congress should not, give into entreaties from the administration or elsewhere … to dilute our approach to sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran's petroleum transactions,” Berman said to applause. “The Kirk-Menendez amendment is a good amendment.” …
“The (once) confidential report was provided to the administration and select members of Congress during the discussions on the Menendez-Kirk Central Bank amendment,” FDD's Mark Dubowitz told The Cable. “The report concluded that, even if the Saudis did not release additional oil supplies, it was still possible to reduce Iran's oil revenues without spooking oil markets and driving up the price of oil.”