A Republican congressman has introduced legislation in the new U.S. Congress that could complicate Boeing and Airbus sales to Iran Air, made possible by a multinational nuclear agreement signed in July 2015. The action came on the heels of Airbusâs first new airliner delivery to state-owned Iran Air two days earlier.
Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) introduced H.R. 566 on January 13. It calls for the incoming Trump administration to report on Iranâs use of commercial aircraft and related services for âillicit military or other activities.â Reps. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) and Lee Zeidin (R-N.Y.) are listed as consponsors of the legislation. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
In the previous, 114th Congress, Roskam introduced legislation to prohibit the U.S. Export-Import Bank from providing financing that would benefit Iran. The âNo Ex-Im Assistance for Terrorism Act,â was incorporated in another bill that barred the Treasury Department from authorizing commercial aircraft sales to Iran, which the previous House passed in November.
Roskam represents the Illinois sixth congressional district, located west of ChicagoâBoeingâs corporate headquarters. In a speech on the House floor during the debate over the Treasury Department legislation, he said: âWe now have American companies that are saying âyou know what? Letâs go in and letâs do business with a terrorist regime. Letâs just go make a buck.â The scandal is that there are American companies, there are international companiesâBoeing, Airbusâthat are now making their own names inextricably linked with terror for evermore.â
Roskamâs Washington, D.C. office did not immediately issue a statement or explanation of the new legislation.