Cuellar-led bipartisan letter follows reports that Iranian-made drones used by Russia contain U.S.-made parts
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – (Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) led a bipartisan group of 60 colleagues in writing to the Biden Administration regarding reports that Iranian-made drones recovered in Ukraine contain parts that were manufactured in the United States. Also leading the letter were Congressmen August Pfluger (R-TX-11), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Don Bacon (R-NE-2).
Russia has purchased hundreds of armed drones from Iran in the past year, including one-way “suicide drones” that have terrorized Ukrainian civilians. Intelligence estimates suggest that 75 percent of the components of these drones are U.S.-made. The letter calls on the Biden Administration to develop a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to interrupt Iran’s supply chains and stop the flow of U.S.-made parts.
“Iran should not have access to American-made technology to build weapons of war. Stopping the flow of U.S.-made parts will not only frustrate the regime’s efforts to arm Russia – it will also degrade Iran’s own precision-strike capabilities,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I urge President Biden and his Administration to investigate this concerning development and ensure that American technology does not end up in the hands of our adversaries.”
“The reports that Russia is using Iranian-made drones, containing parts manufactured in the United States, to attack Ukraine are extremely concerning,” said Congressman Pfluger. “I am glad to join a bipartisan coalition of Members in calling for the Biden Administration to take immediate action to disrupt Iran’s burgeoning relationship with Russia and make sure no American-made product can be used for Russia’s evil war.”
“Iran’s effort to support Russia in its brutal war against Ukraine not only kills innocent people in Ukraine, but advances Iran’s nefarious capabilities to threaten the U.S. and our allies. That’s why I’m working with my Republican and Democratic colleagues to cripple their burgeoning drone program which has already claimed too many lives,” said Congressman Schneider. “We must counter the IRGC and its terrorist proxies at every step.”
“The United States must continue to hold Iran accountable for the atrocities it commits including human rights abuses against its own citizens, support of terrorists such as Hezbollah and the proliferation of hundreds of drones to Russia since August 2022,” said Congressman Bacon. “My colleagues and I sent a letter to the President expressing the necessity for immediate action to disrupt Iran’s burgeoning relationship with Russia and to blunt Iran’s ability to undermine international law, project power across the Middle East, and threaten U.S. service-members globally.”
“The reports that Russia is using Iranian-made drones, containing parts manufactured in the United States, to attack Ukraine are extremely concerning,” said Congressman Pfluger. “I am glad to join a bipartisan coalition of Members in calling for the Biden Administration to take immediate action to disrupt Iran’s burgeoning relationship with Russia and make sure no American-made product can be used for Russia’s evil war.”
“Iran’s effort to support Russia in its brutal war against Ukraine not only kills innocent people in Ukraine, but advances Iran’s nefarious capabilities to threaten the U.S. and our allies. That’s why I’m working with my Republican and Democratic colleagues to cripple their burgeoning drone program which has already claimed too many lives,” said Congressman Schneider. “We must counter the IRGC and its terrorist proxies at every step.”
“The United States must continue to hold Iran accountable for the atrocities it commits including human rights abuses against its own citizens, support of terrorists such as Hezbollah and the proliferation of hundreds of drones to Russia since August 2022,” said Congressman Bacon. “My colleagues and I sent a letter to the President expressing the necessity for immediate action to disrupt Iran’s burgeoning relationship with Russia and to blunt Iran’s ability to undermine international law, project power across the Middle East, and threaten U.S. service-members globally.”
Joining Congressman Cuellar on this letter were Representatives August Pfluger (R-TX-11), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Don Bacon (R-NE-2), André Carson (D-IN-7), Mark Green (R-TN-7), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX-2), Jim McGovern (D-MA-2), Cory Mills (R-FL-7), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-34), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA-4), Joe Wilson (R-SC-2), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25), Tom Kean (R-NJ-7), Dean Phillips (D-MN-3), Jerry Carl (R-AL-1), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Rudy Yakym (R-IN-2), Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), Pat Fallon (R-TX-4), Susan Wild (D-PA-7), Maria Salazar (R-FL-27), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), Ed Case (D-HI-1), John Rutherford (R-FL-5), Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Dina Titus (D-NV-1), Mark Alford (R-MO-4), Susie Lee (D-NV-3), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS-At Large), David Trone (D-MD-6), Scott Franklin (R-FL-18), Wiley Nickel (D-NC-13), Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23), Jake Ellzey (R-TX-6), Scott Peters (D-CA-50), Jack Bergman (R-MI-1) Chris Pappas (D-NH-1), Michael Guest (R-MS-3), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), Rob Menendez (D-NJ-8), Jared Golden (D-ME-2), Katie Porter (D-CA-47), Eric Swalwell (D-CA-14), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA-10), Jason Crow (D-CO-6), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4), Jill Tokuda (D-HI-2), Donald Norcross (D-NJ-1), Marcy Kaptuer (D-OH-9), Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), and Dan Kildee (D-MI-8), Haley Stevens (D-MI-11), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO-7).
To view a copy of the letter, click here.
