Reps. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), along with more than 20 key Democratic and Republican lawmakers, introducedbipartisan legislation last week to extend current U.S. sanctions to suppliers, brokers, insurers and tankers carrying gasoline to the Iran – a critical economic vulnerability that could bolster diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities. Despite its status as a top OPEC nation, Iran lacks the required refining capacity to meet domestic demand for fuel and must import some 40 percent of its gasoline. A similar bill will be introduced in the Senate this week by Sens. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT).
