Congress: 106 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: pro-Israel
Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).
Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for HR 1477.
Sponsor: Menendez, Robert (D-NJ)
Iran Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Act of 1999 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to withhold U.S. voluntary contributions from programs and projects of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Iran unless the Secretary of State makes a determination in writing to certain congressional committees that such programs and projects are consistent with U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and safety goals, will not provide Iran with training or expertise relevant to nuclear programs' development, and are not being used as a cover for the acquisition of sensitive nuclear technology. Instructs the Secretary to review and report to the Congress annually for five years on all Agency programs and projects in specified countries to determine if they are consistent with U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and safety goals. Requires the Secretary to direct the U.S. representative to the Agency to oppose Agency programs determined inconsistent with U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and safety goals. Directs the Secretary to report annually to Congress for five years on specified aspects of annual Agency assistance to Iran, including nuclear materials technology transfer, and inconsistencies between Agency technical assistance programs and U.S. nuclear nonproliferation and safety goals. Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should pursue internal Agency reforms that will ensure that all programs funded under the Technical Cooperation and Assistance Fund are compatible with U.S. nuclear nonproliferation policy and international nuclear nonproliferation norms.
The bill blocks US voluntary funding to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) programs in Iran unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that they pose no nuclear proliferation risk, provide no nuclear training to Iran, and aren't covers for acquiring sensitive nuclear technology. It requires annual reporting to Congress for five years on all IAEA assistance to Iran and instructs the US representative to oppose any IAEA programs deemed inconsistent with nonproliferation goals.
Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel are central to the bill's findings and justification. By restricting IAEA technical assistance to Iran, the legislation aims to slow nuclear development that could threaten Israeli security, even as it frames the policy primarily around general nonproliferation rather than Israel explicitly.