Iowa U.S. Rep. Miller-Meeks talks Israel, House speaker vote

Iowa Republican U.S. House Reps. Ashley Hinson of Marion and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa on Wednesday supported House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana as the next House speaker, who was narrowly nominated for the post by House Republicans.

Scalise secured the nomination by a 113-99 vote during a closed-door House Republican conference meeting, besting House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio. The nomination followed last week’s historic ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Next up was a vote on the House floor, where Scalise was not assured of victory as a number of Republicans have publicly said they will not back him.

“All of us know the urgency” of electing a speaker, Miller-Meeks told The Gazette before the floor vote was held. “I’m hoping that this will be effortless.”

It took McCarthy 15 rounds of voting over four days in January to be elected speaker.

Miller-Meeks said she’s hopeful House Republicans can elect a new speaker quickly and avoid a messy and protracted floor flight, “but we certainly may.”

“I think both candidates were excellent candidates,” she said. “I’m hoping our better natures will come to the surface and we will quickly elect a speaker — this time respecting the will of the majority of the conference.”

Miller-Meeks, Grassley move to freeze Iranian assets

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Miller-Meeks said Wednesday she planned to introduce a House resolution demanding the release of all American hostages taken captive by Iran-backed Hamas, freezing the release of $6 billion in sanctioned Iranian assets promised as part of a prisoner swap with the regime, and providing Israel with additional munitions and support “to be able to defend itself.”

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley joined Senate colleagues Wednesday in calling on Democratic President Joe Biden to coordinate with the G7 nations to sanction Iran for its support of Hamas, and urged Biden to deny the release of $6 billion in Iranian assets.

“Every dollar within the grasp and control of the Iranian regime is used to fund terrorism and fuel its power,” the senators wrote. “That is why we must isolate Iran and cut it off economically. Without sources of revenue, Iran will be unable to fund the mass terror it supports around the globe.”

The senators, in their letter, urged Biden to “lead America’s partners and allies in securing agreements from as many nations as possible to take the most severe economic and diplomatic action against Iran possible under law.”

Biden administration officials have stressed none of the frozen Iranian assets have been spent, and that it may be used for only humanitarian assistance under close supervision by the Treasury Department.

Some Senate Democrats, however, have called for the transfer to be halted, pending an investigation into what involvement Iran had in supporting or greenlighting the attacks on Israeli civilians over the weekend.

Miller-Meeks and Grassley argued the assets are “fungible.”

“They can meet certain basic humanitarian needs, but then money that they don’t have to spend on humanitarian needs, they can then spend on funding Hamas,” Miller-Meeks said.

The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post have reported the Palestinian militants behind the surprise weekend attack on Israel received key support from Iranian allies who provided military training, logistical help and weapons.

Twenty-two Americans had been killed in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, and 17 were unaccounted for, the White House and State Department said Wednesday.

“We support Israel in its actions in order to squash Hamas,” Miller-Meeks said.

Miller-Meeks accompanied Iowa GOP U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation last week to the Middle East, where she received classified military briefings and met with U.S. embassy staff. She was not part of the delegation that visited Israel on Tuesday.

Miller-Meeks said it was “harrowing to be in the Middle East during the heinous attacks on Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, but also we sent a reassuring message of support for Israel.”

The visits were part of a U.S. effort to encourage Arab and Israelis leaders to move toward normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, and a show of support for countries who signed the Abraham Accords, a U.S.-mediated bilateral agreement signed by Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to recognize Israel’s sovereignty. Miller-Meeks and the delegation met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Prince Mohammed this week expressed his continued support for Palestine, dealing a blow to U.S. efforts. It and other Gulf states blamed Israeli policies for the war and refused to explicitly condemn Hamas.

“I remain committed to the ongoing normalization efforts with Israel and I will continue to find ways for our countries to work together and bolster our strategic alliance,” Miller-Meeks said.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com