U.S. Senate Approves ‘Mahsa Act’
The U.S. Senate passed the “Mahsa Act” and “Maritime Act” on the evening of yesterday.
The United States Senate on the evening of yesterday, Tuesday, April 23, passed a security aid package including the “Mahsa Act” and “Maritime Act,” and it is expected that on the current day, Wednesday, April 24, U.S. President Joe Biden will sign and enact this package into law.
This package includes $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, which includes the “Mahsa Act” and “Maritime Act.” The package passed the Senate with 79 votes in favor and 18 votes against. Additionally, the package states that if the social network “TikTok” does not immediately sever its relations with China, this network will also be banned in America.
Jim Banks, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, presented this bill to Congress in support of the 1401 (2022) protests, and Congress passed it on September 12, 2023, on the eve of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, with 410 votes in favor and 3 votes against. This bill is set to become law upon signature by U.S. President Joe Biden.
The bill requires the U.S. President to impose sanctions including “visa restrictions” and “asset freezes for certain individuals and entities affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran” that are knowingly involved in the transfer, processing, refining, or trading of oil and petroleum products, including petrochemical products. According to the bill, the President is required to periodically determine whether these sanctions are applicable to Ali Khamenei and any other officials in his office, the President of Iran and any other officials in his office, and any institution under the supervision of the Supreme Leader’s office that support terrorism and human rights violations.
Joe Biden, following the passage of this bill in Congress, issued a statement calling the action a “critical turning point to strengthen America’s national security” and said: “This bill will be signed and enacted into law as soon as it reaches my desk. This law enables us to send weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week. This is necessary for Ukraine, which faces relentless Russian bombardment, for Israel, which recently endured unprecedented attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran, for refugees and those whose lives are affected by conflicts and natural disasters around the world, including the people of Gaza, Sudan and Haiti, and for our partners seeking security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
