President Donald J. Trump Signed H.R. 518, H.R. 954 and H.R. 2611 into Law
Issued on: January 12, 2018
On Friday, January 12, 2018, the President signed into law:
H.R. 518, the “EPS Improvement Act of 2017,” which excludes from energy conservation standards for external power supplies, any power supply circuit, driver, or device designed to power light-emitting diodes, or to power ceiling fans using direct current motors;
H.R. 954, which removes the use restrictions on about one acre of land transferred to Rockingham County, Virginia; and
H.R. 2611, the “Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act,” which modifies the boundary of the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in Arkansas.
The Washington Times: “Tax cuts hit home”
BUDGET & SPENDING
Issued on: January 12, 2018
The roll of companies giving workers bonuses reads as if the list was lifted from the Fortune 500: American Airlines, Comcast, JetBlue, AT&T, Bank of America, U.S. Bank, Nationwide Insurance. The companies have been clear about the link to the new tax law.
Tax cuts hit home
Editorial
The Washington Times
January 11, 2018
…
This week Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, became the latest major American corporation to celebrate the tax cut by granting its 1.5 million employees a well-deserved raise.
…
Walmart is clear about the how, the why and the wherefore. “Tax reform gives us the opportunity to be more competitive globally and to accelerate plans for the U.S.,” the company CEO says. “We are early in the stages of assessing the opportunities.” This suggests more good news to come.
A robust labor market is finally pushing upward pressure on American wages after the pain of stagnation that was the mark of the Obama years. Target, like Walmart, boosted wages late last year to retain cashiers and stockers. Unemployment stands at 4.1 percent — more or less full employment – and it’s clear that the tax cut has introduced an unexpected Era of Good Feelings.
The roll of companies giving workers bonuses reads as if the list was lifted from the Fortune 500: American Airlines, Comcast, JetBlue, AT&T, Bank of America, U.S. Bank, Nationwide Insurance.
The companies have been clear about the link to the new tax law. “The new tax legislation, including a reduced corporate tax rate,” says Nationwide, is “one of the reasons we’re making this investment.” AT&T agrees: “Congress, working closely with the President, took a monumental step to bring taxes paid by U.S. businesses in line with the rest of the industrialized world,” says a spokesman. “This tax reform will drive economic growth and create good-paying jobs. In fact, we will increase our U.S. investment and pay a special bonus to our U.S. employees.”
…Read the full editorial here
HEALTHCARE
Issued on: January 12, 2018
Office of National Drug Control Policy
ALL NEWSToday, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, has started accepting applications for Drug-Free Communities Support Program grants, for Fiscal Year 2018.
The Drug-Free Communities Support Program strengthens collaboration with community coalitions working to prevent youth substance use. Federal contributions to community coalitions play a vital role in preventing drug use in the United States.
In New Jersey, Hunterdon County Safe Communities has been able to decrease the use of alcohol and marijuana in a 30-day period among high school students due to increased community mobilization directly correlated to funding granted by these support programs.
There are an estimated 120 grant awards to be distributed for Fiscal Year 2018, totaling approximately $15,000,000.
All applicants applying to the Drug-Free Communities Support Program are encouraged to attend one of the following pre-application workshops:
January 23, 2018 – Amarillo, Texas
January 25, 2018 – Henderson, Nevada
January 31, 2018 – Jackson, Mississippi
February 9, 2018 – National Harbor, MD
To register for a workshop, please visit: https://cmpinc.net/dfc.
To apply for a Drug-Free Communities Support Program Grant, please visit https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/grants-programs/.
Statement by the President on the Iran Nuclear Deal
NATIONAL SECURITY & DEFENSE
Issued on: January 12, 2018
The Iranian regime is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror. It enables sHezbollah, Hamas, and many other terrorists to sow chaos and kill innocent people. It has funded, armed, and trained more than 100,000 militants to spread destruction across the Middle East. It props up the murderous regime of Bashar al Assad, and has helped him slaughter his own people. The regime’s destructive missiles threaten neighboring countries and international shipping. Within Iran, the Supreme Leader and his Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps use mass arrests and torture to oppress and silence Iran’s people. Iran’s ruling elite has let their citizens go hungry while enriching themselves by stealing Iran’s national wealth.
Last October, I outlined to the American people—and to the world—my strategy for confronting these and other destructive activities. We are countering Iranian proxy wars in Yemen and Syria. We are cutting off the regime’s money flows to terrorists. We have sanctioned nearly 100 individuals and entities involved with the Iranian regime’s ballistic missile program and its other illicit activities. Today, I am adding 14 more to the sanctions list. We are also supporting the brave Iranian citizens who are demanding change from a corrupt regime that wastes the Iranian people’s money on weapons systems at home and terrorism abroad. And crucially, we are calling on all nations to lend similar support to the Iranian people, who are suffering under a regime that is stifling basic freedoms and denying its citizens the opportunity to build better lives for their families—an opportunity that is every human being’s God-given right.
All this stands in stark contrast to the policy and actions of the previous administration. President Obama failed to act as the Iranian people took to the streets in 2009. He turned a blind eye as Iran built and tested dangerous missiles and exported terror. He curried favor with the Iranian regime in order to push through the disastrously flawed Iran nuclear deal.
I have been very clear about my opinion of that deal. It gave Iran far too much in exchange for far too little. The enormous financial windfall the Iranian regime received because of the deal—access to more than $100 billion, including $1.8 billion in cash—has not been used to better the lives of the Iranian people. Instead, it has served as a slush fund for weapons, terror, and oppression, and to further line the pockets of corrupt regime leaders. The Iranian people know this, which is one reason why so many have taken to the streets to express their outrage.
Despite my strong inclination, I have not yet withdrawn the United States from the Iran nuclear deal. Instead, I have outlined two possible paths forward: either fix the deal’s disastrous flaws, or the United States will withdraw.
I am open to working with Congress on bipartisan legislation regarding Iran. But any bill I sign must include four critical components.
First, it must demand that Iran allow immediate inspections at all sites requested by international inspectors.
Second, it must ensure that Iran never even comes close to possessing a nuclear weapon.
Third, unlike the nuclear deal, these provisions must have no expiration date. My policy is to deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon—not just for ten years, but forever.
If Iran does not comply with any of these provisions, American nuclear sanctions would automatically resume.
Fourth, the legislation must explicitly state in United States law—for the first time—that long-range missile and nuclear weapons programs are inseparable, and that Iran’s development and testing of missiles should be subject to severe sanctions.
In 2015, the Obama Administration foolishly traded away strong multilateral sanctions to get its weak nuclear deal. By contrast, my Administration has engaged with key European allies in seeking to secure a new supplemental agreement that would impose new multilateral sanctions if Iran develops or tests long-range missiles, thwarts inspections, or makes progress toward a nuclear weapon—requirements that should have been in the nuclear deal in the first place. And, like the bill I expect from Congress, these provisions of a supplemental agreement must never expire.
I also call on all our allies to take stronger steps with us to confront Iran’s other malign activities. Among other actions, our allies should cut off funding to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, its militant proxies, and anyone else who contributes to Iran’s support for terrorism. They should designate Hezbollah—in its entirety—as a terrorist organization. They should join us in constraining Iran’s missile development and stopping its proliferation of missiles, especially to Yemen. They should join us in countering Iran’s cyber threats. They should help us deter Iran’s aggression against international shipping. They should pressure the Iranian regime to stop violating its citizens’ rights. And they should not do business with groups that enrich Iran’s dictatorship or fund the Revolutionary Guard and its terrorist proxies.
Today, I am waiving the application of certain nuclear sanctions, but only in order to secure our European allies’ agreement to fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal. This is a last chance. In the absence of such an agreement, the United States will not again waive sanctions in order to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. And if at any time I judge that such an agreement is not within reach, I will withdraw from the deal immediately.
No one should doubt my word. I said I would not certify the nuclear deal—and I did not. I will also follow through on this pledge. I hereby call on key European countries to join with the United States in fixing significant flaws in the deal, countering Iranian aggression, and supporting the Iranian people. If other nations fail to act during this time, I will terminate our deal with Iran. Those who, for whatever reason, choose not to work with us will be siding with the Iranian regime’s nuclear ambitions, and against the people of Iran and the peaceful nations of the world.
Background Press Call on Iran Sanctions
FOREIGN POLICY
Issued on: January 12, 2018
Via Teleconference
1:10 P.M. EST
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Just to note, we are having some technical difficulties. So while our briefers can give opening statements, unfortunately we’re not going to be able to take questions. But if you have questions afterwards, you can follow up by emailing the NSC Press Office.
This is embargoed until 1:30 this afternoon, all information from this briefing will be attributed to a senior administration official. So I’ll hand it over to your first briefer.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Okay, very briefly, the President will issue a statement at 1:30 explaining today’s actions and his decision. The Treasury Department will also issue their press release, which will go through the 14 new designations the United States government is taking against Iranian entities and individuals.
The President’s decision is to waive, once more, the nuclear sanctions that the terms of the JCPOA require the United States to waive in order to remain in the deal. But in the statement, the President will also make clear that this is the last such waiver he will issue.
He intends to work with our European partners on some kind of follow-on agreement that enshrines certain triggers that the Iranian regime cannot exceed related to ballistic missiles; related to a nuclear breakout period, to hold them to one year or less; to inspection; and that would have no sunset clause.
If the President can get that agreement that meets his objectives and that never expires, that — as he said in his October Iran strategy speech — that denies Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon forever, not for 10 years or any other shorter period of time — that he would be open to remaining in such a modified deal.
I do want to stress also that this would not entail direct negotiations with the Iranians, this would be something the United States works out with our European partners only. It would be an agreement amongst the United States and our European partners to re-impose multilateral sanctions should the Iranians surpass the new triggers that we would lay out.
That’s the heart of the decision today, and I will turn it over to my colleague.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you. So I’m just going to briefly talk to you about the actions that we’re taking at the Treasury Department. I should have it released from authority, but just to describe them — so, our sanctions today are part of the administration’s broader efforts to counter the Iranian regime’s continued and growing reckless and destabilizing behavior.
As all of you have seen over the past couple of weeks, Iran’s malign activity really has just been on full display. This includes its human rights abuses and censorship of protestors, including those held in Iranian prisons, as well as their continued development of threatening weapons systems.
Today, OFAC is designating 14 individuals and entities in connection with serious human rights abuses and censorship in Iran and support to designated Iranian weapons proliferators. And this is on top of our five designations from last week.
As Secretary Mnuchin notes in the statement, the United States will not stand by while the Iranian regime continues to engage in human rights abuses and injustice. We are targeting the Iranian regime, including the head of Iran’s judiciary, for its appalling mistreatment of its citizens, including those imprisoned solely for exercising their right to freedom of people assembly and for censoring its own people as they stand up in protest against their government.
We are also targeting Iran’s ballistic missile program and destabilizing activities. Iran is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on its ballistic missile program, and continues to prioritize these and other regionally destabilizing endeavors over the economic wellbeing of the Iranian people.
Today’s actions were taken pursuant to executive orders that target serious human rights abuses by the government of Iran, censorship, and activities that restrict freedom of expression or assembly by citizens and media in Iran.
We’re also taking action, again, under executive orders that target proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters.
I’m just going to spend a couple of minutes briefly describing some of the designations that we have today. You’ll see the rest in the press release.
So today, we’re designating Sadegh Amoli Larijani, who, as head of Iran’s judiciary, has administrative oversight over the carrying out of sentences in contravention of Iran’s international obligation. This includes the execution of individuals who were juveniles at the time of their crime; and the torture or cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners of Iran, including amputations.
We’re also designating Rajaee Shahr Prison, which has denied prisoners adequate medical care and access to legal representation. Many Iranians who recently protested against their government are imprisoned at this facility. It’s a prison where prisoners participating in hunger strikes are denied medical care, where there are reported incidents of sexual abuse and unlawful executions, and where at least one prisoner had his eye gouged out by prison officials.
We’re also designating Gholamreza Ziaei, who has served as the director of this prison since October of 2017.
We are also designating the IRGC’s Electronic Warfare and Cyber Defense Organization, in connection with Iran’s human rights abuses. This organization organizes and conducts training courses on behalf of the IRGC, and has attempted to censor Iranians’ access to Western media.
Similarly, we’re designating Iran’s Supreme Council for Cyberspace for engaging in censorship or other activities that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of Iran, or that limit access to print or broadcast media.
This council was created for the purported purpose of “protecting the country from negative content of cyberspace.” It restricts access to tens of thousands of websites, particularly those of international news sources, anti-regime outlets, ethnic and religious minorities, human rights groups, and popular social media sites.
We are also designating eight individuals and entities for providing support to designated Iranian weapons proliferators. This includes designations of Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company and Iran Aircraft Industries, which are two Iranian defense industry firms that provide key maintenance and overhaul services for Iran’s military helicopters and aircraft.
And we’re also designating an Iran- and China-based procurement network including — Pardazan System Namad Arman and Bochuang Ceramic, pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which again targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters.
A full description of these and our other designations can be found in the press release. And as was already mentioned, we’ll be happy to take offline questions.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I’ll just add — highlight a few other elements. First is that today’s decision by the President, both in terms of the JCPOA and the new designations that are coming from the Treasury Department, represent the next step in the strategy that the President announced back in October, the strategy which is designed to counter the full range of the aspects of the Iran problem.
A couple of things to highlight is that the President today — in the President’s statement, when he makes clear that he will expect during the term of the waivers that he’ll renew in the coming days, that he’ll seek a follow-on or a supplemental agreement with our European allies; that we’ve already been in discussions along those lines with our European allies. And so those have been quite far advanced in terms of making clear to our European allies what we expect of them, and also in agreeing on an assessment of the nature of the Iranian problem, and in seeking a collective way forward to try to counter the different aspects of that problem.
The President also, in his statement today, will make clear that he still is open and hopes to see an amendment to the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which governs U.S. participation in the JCPOA, and that he hopes to see from Congress an amended INARA that includes four elements.The first is that it must demand that Iran allow timely, sufficient, and immediate inspections at all sites that are requested by international inspectors from the IAEA.
Second, that it’d have to ensure that Iran does not come close to possessing a nuclear weapon; that it remains above a one-year breakout timeline.
Next, that it must address the sunset flaw in the JCPOA by allowing the U.S. to snap back U.S. nuclear sanctions without any expiration date if Iran doesn’t comply with the new criteria the administration has set out in conjunction with Congress.
And finally, the legislation has to state explicitly in U.S. law for the first time that we view Iran’s long-range missile programs and nuclear weapons as inseparable, and that Iran’s development and testing of the missiles should be subject to severe sanctions.
And the last point I would mention is that among the 14 designations that the Treasury is announcing today, one that we know will have serious political impact — we think all of them, of course, will have a serious impact, but one that we know will have a serious political impact inside Iran is that of the designation of the head of the judiciary, Sadegh Larijani. It happens that he is the brother of Ali Larijani, who is the speaker of the Iranian parliament.
So in other words, the designations today politically will go to the top of the regime and will send a very strong message about the United States — that the United States is not going to tolerate their continued abuses — their continued violations of the rights of their citizens.
Thank you.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thank you all for joining us today. My apologies for the technical issues. Again, if you have any questions, please forward them to NSC Press. This is embargoed till 1:30 p.m. today and attribution for all of the speakers is senior administration official.
Thank you.
END
1:21 P.M. EST
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