(U.S. SENATE) – After introducing new legislation to prevent American taxpayer-funded contracts from benefitting U.S. enemies, Senator Jon Tester today highlighted several measures he is pushing to crack down on American companies that do business with Iran.

Tester’s work follows a recent news report that subsidiaries of Koch Industries, the company run by brothers Charles and David Koch, allegedly paid bribes to foreign companies and sold petrochemical equipment to Iran.  The United States considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism.

“It’s disturbing to hear that one of America’s largest companies is in the businesses of supporting Iran’s economy through energy development,” said Tester, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.  “Iran’s government is no friend of ours, and no business should be giving Iran the tools it needs to become a more powerful player in the world—and a more powerful threat to America’s security.”

Tester is a cosponsor of several recent proposals cracking down on the government of Iran and American companies that do business with Iran:

• Tester is a cosponsor of the Iran Transparency and Accountability Act, which closes several loopholes that allow American businesses to continue supporting Iran’s economy.  The bill specifically requires American companies to publicly disclose business dealings in Iran.

• He is a cosponsor of the Iran, North Korea and Syria Sanctions Consolidation Act, which expands sanctions imposed on those three countries.  The bill affirms that it is the policy of the United States to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons or the capability to manufacture nuclear weapons.

• Tester is a cosponsor of Senate Resolution 80, which calls on Iran’s government to release all prisoners held on account of their religion and condemns the nation for state-sponsored persecution of minorities and human rights abuses.

• In August, Tester sent a letter to President Obama, urging the administration to apply pressure to Iran’s financial system by imposing sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran.

• In February, Tester sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, urging the U.S. State Department to establish an independent U.N. human rights monitor on Iran.

Tester has voted for other measures cracking down on Iran’s government in previous years, including the Iran Counter-Proliferation law.  The law halted international investment in Iran’s energy sector and limited Russia’s ability to deliver nuclear technology to Iran.

-30-