No, it’s not healthcare!  the Washington Examiner reported yesterday that on December 15th the House of Representatives passed a bill by a margin of 412 to 12.  The bill is called the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act. 

According to the article:

“The bill targets a major Iranian vulnerability. Even though it has vast stores of oil — it’s the world’s fourth-largest producer — Iran has little capacity to refine that oil into gasoline, diesel fuel, and other usable products.  So an oil-rich nation has to import gas. If it can’t get the gas, it can’t keep its economy going. The legislation would crack down on the companies that provide the fuel that keeps the Iranian theocracy in business.”

Iran’s nuclear program is continuing.  There is no doubt that the program is not moving toward peaceful purposes.  This bill calls for the Obama Administration to deal with the problem at hand rather than ignoring it. 

The bill has moved to the Senate, where is is temporarily sidelined by the healthcare debate.  The bill also has bipartisan support in the Senate and is expected to pass easily.  America’s allies have already signaled their support for tougher sanctions against Iran, America just needs to act.

Hopefully when this bill reaches President Obama’s desk, he will sign it quickly.  There may be unpleasant consequences to limiting the amount of refined petroleum products that Iran can import, but those consequences will be mild compared to the consequences of Iran having a nuclear bomb.