Sen. Ted Cruz wrote President Obama a thank you letter in this week’s Politico magazine for the president’s support behind S. 2195, which gives him the authority to deny visas to United Nations ambassadors who are known terrorists.
The Texas Republican was specifically referring to Iran’s recent nominee Hamid Aboutalebi, who was a member of the militant group that held 52 Americans hostage after seizing the U.S. Embassy in Iran in 1979.
The president signed S. 2195 into law on Friday after it unanimously passed both the Senate and House.
Mr. Cruz called the law an “unequivocal, bipartisan message that we will not tolerate the ongoing campaign of insult and antagonism from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“Washington has, with some justification, gained a reputation for being hopelessly mired in partisan gridlock,” he said. “But it is nothing short of inspiring to find that when confronted with such blatant evidence of Iran’s virulent anti-Americanism, we can stand together as one in the defense of our national security. “
Mr. Cruz also explicitly thanked Rep. Doug Lamborn, Colorado Republican, who introduced the bill in the House, and Sens. Chuck Schumer, New York Democrat, and Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, “for standing together and swiftly passing this legislation and sending it to the White House.”
“This combination of unequivocal support from both Congress and the president sends Iran — and other rogue nations — the clear signal that the United Nations is not a back door through which they can attack the United States of America,” Mr. Cruz concluded.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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