WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today voted in favor of bipartisan legislation to strengthen and expand economic sanctions against Iran, Russia, and North Korea. The legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 98-2.

“This legislation is critical to showing that the United States will not tolerate the aggression exhibited by Iran, Russia, and North Korea,” said Roberts. “Economic sanctions are a strong signal that the U.S. will not stand by and allow Iran’s support for terrorist activities, Russia’s continued aggression in Syria, Ukraine and Crimea, and its malicious cyber-attacks that threaten to interfere with U.S. democracy, and North Korea’s continued procurement of weapons of mass destruction.”

The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 imposes mandatory sanctions on people associated with Iran’s ballistic missile program, applies new sanctions due to Iran’s support for terrorism and prohibited arms transfers. These sanctions strengthen those that were imposed last year after Iran’s continued hostility and aggressive behavior contributing to the destabilization the Middle East and to block the Iranian regime from obtaining resources to support terrorism and develop weapons of mass destruction.

The legislation includes an amendment to strengthen and expand current U.S. sanctions against the Russian government in response to Russia’s continued aggression in Syria, its cyber-attacks and interference in U.S. elections, and its violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and Crimea.

Lastly, this legislation strengthens existing sanctions against North Korea over its continued expansion of its nuclear and ballistic-missile programs.

Any changes to the sanctions that are on the Russian Federation must be approved by Congress.

The legilslations now heads to the president's desk for signature.

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