The Biden administration is moving closer to dragging the US back into a dangerous nuclear deal with Iran. Last week, Iran responded to a European draft text of an agreement, adding new demands. This week the US sent its response to Iran back via European mediators, since Iran still refuses to talk directly with US officials or even have them in the same room for negotiations.

Israeli officials are arguing strenuously against a US return to the nuclear deal. The Times of Israel reports:

"The countries of the West draw a red line, the Iranians ignore it, and the red line moves," [Israeli Prime Minister Yair] Lapid told reporters at a press conference in Jerusalem. An emerging deal, Lapid said, "does not meet the standards set by President [Joe] Biden himself: preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state."

…"On the table right now is a bad deal. It would give Iran a hundred billion dollars a year. This money will not build schools or hospitals. This is a hundred billion dollars a year that will be used to undermine stability in the Middle East and spread terror around the globe," Lapid says.

Republican congressional leaders continue to oppose Biden's plan. House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) sent a letter to President Biden this week urging him to work with Congress to review the impending deal.

Members of Congress have expressed wide-ranging concerns regarding the national security implications of nuclear negotiations, including with respect to the Iranian regime’s chilling assassination plots against American citizens on US soil. As you know, Congress must review any agreement that is reached, pursuant to the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (INARA). It is completely unreasonable for this administration to think that a review could be favorable without a robust history of engagement with Congress, to include an increased tempo of briefings as negotiations reach their purported end game. The lack of recent engagement with Congress is even more shocking given that Iran’s parliament was reportedly briefed on August 17. The only logical conclusion to draw is that Iran’s negotiators are pleased with the outcome of negotiations, while US negotiators are still determining how to make further compromises and best sell a bad deal to the American people.

Adam Kredo at the Washington Free Beacon reports on another concession from the Biden administration to Iran:

As part of the administration's efforts to secure a revamped version of the 2015 nuclear deal, the United States will unwind sanctions on an Iranian government organization called the 15 Khordad Foundation, which offers bounties for the assassination of Iran's political enemies. The foundation, for example, is behind the $3.3 million bounty on author Salman Rushdie's head, which is believed to have in part motivated the attacker who earlier this month stabbed Rushdie 10 times during a public appearance, nearly killing him.

"Biden's new Iran deal would lift sanctions on the very organizations raising bounties to kill Americans," said Gabriel Noronha, a former senior Iran adviser at the State Department during the Trump administration and now a distinguished fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs. "That will help Iran raise the funds to kill American dissidents and officials."

It’s been a busy couple of weeks at the RJC. First, RJC Florida hosted a leadership discussion with Senator Marco Rubio in Aventura, led by RJC National Chairman Senator Norm Coleman.

Time after time, Senator Rubio has been a champion on issues that are top priority for pro-Israel voters, and RJC Florida is fired up to support his re-election campaign. Click here to support Senator Marco Rubio

Next, RJC Pennsylvania hosted a pro-Israel community event with GOP nominee for US Senate Dr. Mehmet Oz in Philadelphia, where Dr. Oz was formally endorsed by RJC Board of Directors member Ambassador David Friedman.

The ballroom was absolutely packed and the energy was electric as Dr. Oz laid out his vision for the US-Israel relationship, combating Iran, and the future for Middle East peace. Click here to support Dr. Oz for Senate

Finally, RJC Georgia was joined by GOP nominee for US Senate Herschel Walker in Sandy Springs.

Attendees proudly waved “Jews for Herschel” and “Herschel - הרשל” rally signs as Walker took the stage and discussed the competitive state of his race against anti-Israel far left radical Raphael Warnock. Click here to support Herschel Walker for Senate!

As we get closer to the Biden midterm elections in November, grassroots engagement in key battleground states is more critical than ever. Right now, RJC Victory Team volunteers are conducting targeted Jewish outreach in states that will determine which party controls Congress - like Florida, Pennsylvania and Georgia - to turn out Jewish voters in support of Senator Rubio, Dr. Oz, and Herschel Walker - and we need your help! Please sign up to volunteer with the RJC Victory Team today, as we continue building upon our successes.

Could a Muslim senator be an ardent supporter of Israel?

Jonathan Tobin writes about the RJC event with Dr. Oz last week: " In a packed Philadelphia hotel ballroom with local and national media present, the RJC rolled out its campaign this week to help elect Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Muslim and Turkish American to an open Pennsylvania Senate seat. In doing so, they hope to play a part in making history for American Muslims since if he wins, Oz would be the first member of his faith to serve in the US Senate. It would also boost their party’s chances of winning back the Senate. At the same time, they will also be assuring that the seat will be held by an ardent supporter of Israel."

Biden ‘forgives’ massive amount of student-loan debt, transferring cost to public

President Joe Biden announced a plan to "forgive" up to $10,000 in federal student debt for those making under $125,000 annually, and $20,000 for Pell grant recipients. A President doesn’t have the authority to just "cancel" student loans and transfer that debt to American taxpayers, including those who paid their own student loans or never went to college.

RJC offices are open! Contact information for our offices can be found on our website. Please visit us online for the latest RJC news, to see details of upcoming events, and to donate to the RJC. Read past editions of this newsletter here.