Top Dems want 'urgent action' on Iran

This from Eric Fingerhut at JTA: "Top House Democrats are calling on President Obama to take 'urgent action' to stop Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon. In a letter to the president, they back Obama's engagement with the Iranian regime but say it 'cannot be open-ended' and that talks must begin as soon as possible. They offer further ideas for sanctions if the talks are fruitless, as well as suggest measures that U.S. allies should prepare to take in order to pressure the Iranian regime, including: Sanctioning the Central Bank of Iran; Sanctioning international banks that continue to do business with Iranian banks; Denying access to American ports to shipping companies whose ships call on Iranian ports; Sanctioning insurance companies that insure vessels calling on Iranian ports or that insure aircraft landing at Iranian airports; and Sanctioning energy companies investing in Iran's oil and gas sector. The signatories include ...House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (Md.), House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (Calif.), House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Silvestre Reyes (Texas), House Armed Service Committee Chairman Rep. Ike Skelton (Mo.), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.), House Foreign Affairs Middle East and South Asia subcommittee Chairman Gary Ackerman (N.Y.) and Rep. Robert Wexler (Fla.), a close Obama ally and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Europe."