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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio issued the following statement today announcing his intention to introduce legislation stopping the Obama Administration’s ransom payment to Iran:
 
“Iran is the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism. It is disgusting that the Obama Administration would even contemplate providing almost $2 billion to a terrorist-sponsoring regime as an illicit ransom payment. As the Administration has stated in its own hostage policy, paying hostage-takers endangers American citizens. 
 
“When the Senate returns in September, I plan to introduce legislation requiring the President to get this money back from Iran and banning any future ransom payments by the U.S. government to countries or groups that take Americans hostage. The President’s actions are unacceptable and come as the Iranians continue to refuse to work with us to locate Floridian Robert Levinson, the longest-held hostage in American history, who was last seen on Iran’s Kish Island in 2007. Iran has pocketed this money and continued to hold and take more Americans hostage. President Obama’s actions have endangered all Americans abroad.
 
“The American people do not believe the story that the Obama Administration conducted two separate negotiations that were unrelated. That is just unbelievable and disingenuous. It is also contrary to Iran’s statements. For instance, an Iranian military commander said, ‘Taking this money back was in return for the release of the American spies.’ It is a sad day when Iranian officials appear to be more honest than our own president, who owes the American people a better explanation than the outright lies that he and his Administration have told thus far.”