Large bipartisan House group presses firmer WH stance against Iran

A bipartisan group of some 110 House members are encouraging the White House to take a firmer stance against Iran in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks on Israel last week.

“Iran must be held fully accountable for its continued role in funding Hamas and Islamic terror,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden. “We urge the Administration to take all necessary steps to cut off Iranian funding sources.”

The letter includes 63 Democrats and 50 Republicans. The group wrote it supports “every tool available to defeat radical terror.”

Among the asks for Biden: holding Iran accountable for funding Hamas, imposing the stiffest sanctions against Iran, curtailing the country’s oil trade to China and putting pressure on countries like Qatar and Turkey who supported Hamas.

The bipartisan letter is led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.).

The push comes as the Senate has vowed staunch, bipartisan support for Israel. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer returned from a bipartisan congressional delegation on Monday and promised to move an aid package as swiftly as possible.

“This package must move quickly, a package of military aid, the necessities that Israel needs,” Schumer said Monday on the Senate floor. “We talked to the leadership of Israel about what they need, and it will be in this package.”