Congress Questioning Wisdom of Iran Deal, Roby says

[Stations: Interview-style video of Rep. Roby’s comments is available in broadcast-quality MPEG4 format at https://www.dropbox.com/s/1epsmcqiwfets7y/Roby%20Update%20on%20Iran%20Deal.mp4?dl=0.]

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As the White House aggressively lobbies Members of Congress to support its nuclear agreement with Iran, more cracks in their arguments are being exposed, U.S. Representative Martha Roby (R-AL) said Thursday.

Obama Administration officials are attempting to explain recent revelations of secret “side deals” between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency that were not submitted to Congress. Roby attended a classified briefing led by Secretary of State John Kerry, and responded on camera afterward saying the tactics being deployed on Capitol Hill are not gaining the White House significant support.

“Well first of all, this is a bad deal; there’s no question about that,” Roby said. “If President Obama thought that sending Secretary Kerry to Congress to sell this deal would make it better, he is gravely mistaken.”

Instead of building support based on the merits of the deal itself, Secretary Kerry tried to ‘lecture’ Members of Congress using false choices and scare tactics. She said those like her who are opposed to this Iran nuclear deal would work to raise bi-partisan opposition to defeat it.

“We’re going to work very hard to make sure we not only have the votes to disapprove it but that we also have the votes to override a presidential veto. This is about our national security interests right here in the United States, as well as the security of our friends and allies in other parts of the world."

“No deal is better than a bad deal.”

Roby recently traveled to the Middle East as part of a Congressional Delegation to meet with American-allied nations directly impacted by Iran’s nuclear ambitions, including Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In recent weeks, Roby has raised concerns that American negotiators had been conceding too much to Iran on major points like uranium enrichment, economic sanctions relief and inspection access.

Roby has said for weeks that her colleagues – Republicans and Democrats – must prepare to “stand up” to the White House if a bad deal is reached. Under the recently-enacted Iran Nuclear Agreement Act, Congress has 60 days to review the agreement and the opportunity to vote it down. However, overriding the president’s promised veto would require bi-partisan support.

For more information contact Communications Director Todd Stacy at: 202-225-2901 / todd.stacy@mail.house.gov.

Defending the Sanctity of Life

Abortion is a topic many people really don’t want to think about or talk about. Rarely are Americans confronted with the gruesome realities of the abortion industry, and I think many are fine being none the wiser.

But, shocking videos recently surfaced showing top Planned Parenthood officials discussing the harvesting and sale of lungs, hearts and livers from aborted babies. If you haven’t seen them, I encourage you to watch, though be forewarned that they are pretty sickening.

The callous and casual way that these officials talk about performing abortions to preserve specific organs for distribution is deeply disturbing. One official even goes so far as to say they need a “less crunchy” method to obtain intact organs, and continues by joking about needing to price the tissues high enough because she “wants a Lamborghini.”

You don’t have to be staunchly pro-life like me to be unnerved by these shocking revelations. As disturbing as this rhetoric is in and of itself, think about what these words imply. These senior officials are openly admitting to deliberately altering the way in which abortions are performed so that they achieve the outcome they want: unborn baby organs to put on the market. For organization that claims these unborn babies don’t constitute life, its providers sure seem to place a premium on their tiny hearts, lungs and livers. These doctors are completely breaking with protocol and legal requirements, which is something even those who aren’t pro-life cannot and should not ignore.

I have been very outspoken on this issue, calling for serious investigations to take place. Committees of jurisdiction in Congress have already laid the ground work for an inquiry, and Attorney General Lorretta Lynch said the Department of Justice would “review” the information.

Legislatively, I am highlighting the need to further protect the unborn under the law and to stop taxpayer dollars from flowing to Planned Parenthood. I’ve joined my friend, Representative Diane Black (R-TN), on a bill to immediately prohibit taxpayer funds from going to this organization. No American should be forced to have their tax dollars support such an organization, so we are working hard to make that so.

We also will be highlighting the need to enact a restriction on late-term abortions after 5 months, or 20 weeks, of pregnancy. The House passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act in May, and we are urging our Senate counterparts to take it up and send it to President Obama.

I believe I have the responsibility to fight to protect those who cannot defend themselves. We’re not done talking about this issue.

Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. She is currently serving her third term.