135 Massachusetts leaders from a diverse range of backgrounds wrote today to the Massachusetts Congressional delegation urging them to support the Iran Deal, also called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, when it comes before Congress next month.
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, as well as Representatives Jim McGovern, Stephen Lynch, Seth Moulton, Niki Tsongas, and Katherine Clark have declared support for the JPCOA. The letter thanked those supporting the agreement and urged Representatives Mike Capuano, Joseph P. Kennedy III, Bill Keating, and Richard Neal, who remain uncommitted, to follow suit.
“Rejection of the JCPOA by the United States Congress would be to the lasting discredit of our country. Any unraveling of the agreement, in consequence of such disapproval, would deal a grievous blow to the cause of nonproliferation,” the signers wrote.
“Relations with our European allies would suffer, anti-American sentiment would flourish, and – without benefit of the inspections promised by the JCPOA – Congress would find itself vulnerable to the same kinds of manipulations and distortions of intelligence that justified our disastrous war on Iraq. This must not be allowed to happen.
“The American people deserve the security that an Iran deal would provide. The alternatives are tragic and unacceptable.
“We request your timely and public endorsement of the JCPOA — and we thank you if you have already done so,” they concluded.
The 135 signers included nine nuclear weapons experts; 47 faculty members from Harvard, MIT, Boston College, the University of Massachusetts, and other institutions; 12 faith leaders; 29 representatives of community organizations; labor leaders, state legislators, local elected officials, members of peace groups, business people, and others. The letter was organized by Massachusetts Peace Action.
