Why Are Iran, North Korea, Russia Being Sanctioned By Congress?

The House and Senate released a deal Saturday and gave Congress new veto power to block any easing of the sanctions, which was put on Russia, toughening the position of President Donald Trump. The bill also imposed sanctions on Iran and North Korea.

"North Korea, Iran, and Russia have in different ways all threatened their neighbors and actively sought to undermine American interests," the press release of the Foreign Affairs Committee stated. "The bill the House will vote on next week will now exclusively focus on these nations and hold them accountable for their dangerous actions."

Last month, an earlier version of the sanctions legislation was passed in the Senate with an overwhelming majority of 98-2, but it focused only on Russia and Iran. It was then delayed in the House after representatives demanded that even North Korea, which has been posing a danger to the U.S. with its ballistic missile program, should be included. That issue was resolved after Saturday's release of the bill, lawmakers said, according to reports.

Read: Bill Imposing New Sanctions On Russia Stalled In US House

The bill intends to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea — a peninsula claimed by Ukraine, and for its alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The bill would also impose penalties on anyone involved in Iran's ballistic-missile program or persons, entities who do business with them. It also intends to apply "terrorism sanctions" to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and enforce an arms embargo.

In regards to North Korea, the bill aimed at stopping the nation's nuclear program and will also attempt to exhaust funds from the government so that it is not able to sponsor its nuclear program.

According to the bill, Trump can send Congress a report elaborating on his reasons of why he wants to suspend or terminate a particular set of sanctions after which lawmakers would have 30 days to decide whether to allow the move or reject it, Fox News reported.

They are hoping to approve the sanctions before leaving Washington for the August recess.

Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said: "I’m pleased that both parties in the House and Senate have reached agreement on sanctions legislation that will hold Russia and Iran accountable for their destabilizing actions around the world," according to Hoyer's official website.

Read: How Putin Blamed New Russia Sanctions On 'Domestic Political Problems' In The US

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asserted Russia should be punished with stricter sanctions for its role during last year's election and in Europe. She said: “Even though the Senate passed legislation to do just that by a margin of 98 to 2, I am concerned by changes insisted upon by Republicans that give the GOP leadership the sole power to originate actions in the House to prevent the Trump Administration from rolling back sanctions," according to her official website.

Pelosi also said the addition of North Korea in the sanctions package "does not prevent Congress from immediately enacting Russia sanctions legislation and sending it to the President’s desk before the August recess."