Hoosier State Today

U.S. Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) has announced that the passage of the Maximum Pressure Act on Human Rights Abuses in Iran (MAHSA Act), which includes sanctions, will "force this president to hold Iran accountable." This statement was made public through a press release issued on April 24.

"My MAHSA Act includes some of the toughest Iran sanctions to pass through Congress and become law since I was first elected in 2016," said Rep. Jim Banks, U.S. Rep from Indiana's 3rd District. "This bill marks a big step towards undoing Joe Biden's policy of appeasement that has destabilized the Middle East and endangered our ally Israel. The MAHSA Act will force this president to hold Iran accountable."

On Wednesday, April 24, President Biden signed the MAHSA Act into law. The legislation, first introduced by Banks in 2022, obliges the President to "impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on certain persons (individuals and entities) affiliated with Iran," according to the summary provided by Congress.gov. These sanctions target "certain persons," including the Supreme Leader of Iran, the President of Iran, and anyone holding these offices who is determined by the President to be "complicit in supporting human rights abuses or terrorism."

According to his press release, Banks stated that the MAHSA Act was named after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who was killed by Iran's "Morality Police." Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "Congress is right to push the Biden administration away from its failed policy of appeasing the Ayatollah that led to Iran’s recent missile attack on our closest ally Israel."

The National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI) expressed its view that the MAHSA Act "sets a profound precedent for America's commitment to human rights and democracy in Iran," as mentioned in their press release. NUFDI added that this legislation is a "first step" towards implementing a policy of "maximum pressure" on the Islamic Republic of Iran. It believes such measures will continue deterring the regime from committing human rights abuses against its people.

As per his official website, Banks was elected in 2016 and currently chairs the Republican Study Committee in the 117th Congress. He also serves on several committees including House Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the House Select Committee on U.S.-China Strategic Competition.