Malliotakis Legislation Demanding Iran Transparency Included in Final Version of National Defense Authorization Act

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) today applauded the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included her legislative language that would require President Biden to submit a report to Congress and the public disclosing all of Iran's nefarious activities that have taken place on U.S. soil since 1979, including terrorist attacks, export violations, sanctions-busting activities, cyber-attacks, money laundering operations, and kidnapping plots like the one foiled in Brooklyn earlier this year.

Malliotakis' amendment would also require the Biden Administration to create a strategy to prevent Iran from kidnapping American citizens and to deter Iran from conducting or planning operations such as the foiled plot to kidnap Iranian-American journalist and Brooklyn resident Masih Alinejad.

Since taking office, Malliotakis, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, has been at the forefront of pushing for strong foreign policy, homeland security, and national defense. She has been extremely critical of President Biden's reconsideration of the flawed Iran Nuclear Deal that was negotiated when he was Vice President.

"President Obama handed over $400 million in cash and entered into a flawed nuclear deal with Iran," said Malliotakis. "Now that President Biden is entertaining this deal again, it's important for Congress and the public to have all of the facts on any malign operations Iran has conducted on American soil so we can push back on this agreement and hold the Iranian regime accountable."

Malliotakis added: "What exactly has the Iranian regime been using American financial assistance for? They have attempted to kidnap American citizens, sought to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador in 2011 in Washington, D.C., and threatened to retaliate against America on our own soil; we deserve to know if the Iranians used American dollars to make or follow through on these threats."

Additionally, Republicans worked together to offer multiple amendments that earned Democrat votes that were included in the NDAA.

• Prohibits the Department of Defense from providing financial support to the Taliban;
• Designates $250 million for counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan;
• Reverses President Biden's reckless cuts to national security funding;
• Restores shipbuilding, procurement, and missile defense;
• Requires immediate reports to Congress on:
• The number of Americans stranded in Afghanistan
• All U.S. military equipment left behind in Afghanistan
• The strategic impacts of abandoning Bagram Air Base
• The Taliban's relationship with other terrorist organizations.

Additionally, after Democrats cut funding for Israel's Iron Dome on Tuesday, Malliotakis and Republicans fought back and the funding was restored in a bipartisan vote.

“Today bipartisanship prevailed on Capitol Hill," Malliotakis said. "We fought and successfully restored funding for Israel's Iron Dome, pushed back against President Biden’s proposed national security cuts, defeated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's attempt to cut military funding, and passed my legislation that requires more transparency to achieve accountability with regard to Iran to keep Americans safe.”