The Iran Counter-Proliferation Act strengthens U.S. tools to cut off funds to Iran's nuclear program and prohibits U.S. nuclear cooperation with those aiding Iran's atomic efforts. The House version of the comprehensive sanctions bill, introduced by Reps. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), passed the House on Sept. 25, 2007, by a vote of 397-16. The Senate version of the legislation (S. 970) has been introduced by Sens. Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Dick Durbin (D-IL).

The Iran Sanctions Enabling Act (H.R. 2347 and S. 1430) authorizes state and local governments to divest from companies investing in Iran's petroleum and natural gas sector and protects fund managers who divest from such companies from potential lawsuits. The passage of the bill comes as states around the country -- including Florida, California, Ohio, Illinois, Texas, New York and New Jersey -- are mounting efforts to divest their pension funds from companies investing in Iran's petroleum sector or conducting business with its defense or nuclear sectors. The House bill, introduced by Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Christopher Shays (R-CT), was passed on July 31, 2007, by a vote of 408-6. The Senate version was introduced by Sens. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) on May 17, 2007.

President Bush’s fiscal year 2009 budget requests $2.55 billion in security assistance for Israel. The president’s request marks the first year of a 10-year plan between the United States and Israel to gradually increase U.S. security assistance to the Jewish state to help it face increasing threats, including a potential nuclear Iran, daily Hamas rocket attacks, Syria’s military build-up and the rearming of Hizballah. Under the agreement signed in August 2007, the $2.55 billion request will gradually increase until 2013, when it will level off at $3.1 billion per year until 2018. The president’s request also includes $30 million to help Israel absorb refugees from the former Soviet Union and other countries.