Did the Obama administration lie to the American people about the controversial Iran nuclear deal? According to an interview with one of the President’s top national security advisors published last week in The New York Times Magazine, the answer is yes.

Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser for strategic communications at the White House, gloated about how the foreign policy team built an ‘echo chamber’ of experts to feed information to inexperienced reporters and sway the American public.

This is very troubling. As an opponent of the Iran nuclear deal, I supported the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, which could have stopped this deal from being implemented. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats blocked the vote required to do so. 

As a result, we are left with the President’s failed strategy to contain Iran, which puts our national security in jeopardy.

USA Today reported earlier today that Iran test fired a ballistic missile two weeks ago. This comes two months after it fired two ballistic missiles with the words “Israel must be wiped out” written on them. This is in clear violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution.

The regime in Tehran hasn’t proven to be trustworthy. Iran actively supports terrorism and aggressively works to destabilize the region. Based on its past actions, I’m convinced that we cannot depend on Iran to live up to its end of the nuclear deal. It must be abandoned and sanctions must be restored.

The Hill reported yesterday that the Obama administration is quietly working to decrease the number of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility (Gitmo).

This comes as no surprise. No new detainee has been transferred to this detention center since President Obama took office because closing Gitmo is one of his unfulfilled campaign promises.

The problem is the president’s actions threaten our national security. We’re fighting global terrorism. That’s why we need to use this state-of-the-art facility and keep dangerous terrorists from plotting attacks against our country. Maintaining this facility and housing terrorists there is the best way to protect American citizens.

With my support, Congress passed, and the president signed legislation prohibiting the transfer of these dangerous terrorists to the United States. Unfortunately this isn’t stopping the president from transferring these vile detainees intent on destroying our way of life, to other countries.

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter told CNN in January that there “are people in Gitmo who are so dangerous that we cannot transfer them.” Then why is the president putting our national security at risk?

Removing these terrorists from Gitmo makes us less safe. These terrorists have shown their willingness to continuing fighting against America. In February, the same day the President submitted to Congress his vague “plan” to close Gitmo, Spanish authorities announced they arrested a former Gitmo detainee for recruiting ISIS fighters.

This is not an isolated incident. Obama administration officials have admitted that transferred detainees have reengaged in terrorist activities.

That’s why I’m fighting against the transfer of Gitmo prisoners legislatively by cosponsoring:

• The Detainee Transfer Transparency Act, legislation to require the Secretary of Defense make available to the public the intended transfer or release of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba at least 21 days in advance.
• The Protections Against Terrorist Transfer Act, legislation to prohibit the transfer or release of any individual detained at Gitmo to the custody of any foreign country unless the Secretary of Defense certifies to Congress that the individual no longer poses a continuing threat to the security of the United States, its citizens and its interests.

I’m committed to protecting American citizens and that means ensuring Gitmo stays open.

Here’s rundown of the bills I have signed on to support in the past week:

Detainee Transfer Transparency Act (S. 2788) & Protections Against Terrorist Transfer Act (S. 2780): I joined with Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) and 12 other colleagues to co-sponsor a bill that would require the Secretary of Defense to make publicly available any intended transfer or release of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay at least 21 days in advance. I also co-sponsored legislation that would provide Congressional oversight of the transfer or release of Guantanamo Bay detainees and would require the Secretary of Defense to certify to Congress that any detainee proposed for transfer no longer poses a security threat to the United States. These are the latest steps in our efforts to prohibit the closure of GITMO and ban the transfer of detainees to U.S. soil.

Congressional Disapproval of the Fiduciary Rule (S.J. Res. 33): I’m supporting a joint resolution introduced by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) which would stop the Obama administration from implementing a new regulation that will have harmful effects on retirement planning services and the families dependent upon them. The Department of Labor’s rewrite of the fiduciary rule will make retirement investment advice unaffordable to many Americans because of concerns over legal liability.

Support for World Malaria Day (S. Res. 436): I signed on as a co-sponsor a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day. As a member of the Malaria Caucus, I am committed to supporting the global efforts to fight this preventable and treatable disease, which kills over 400,000 people a year worldwide.

Recognizing the Benefits of 4-H (S. Res. 431): I supported a bipartisan resolution in support of 4-H and its recently launched “Grow True Leaders” campaign. My three daughters benefitted immensely from their participation in 4-H. This organization plays such a vital role in many rural communities across America and its new campaign will help expand the organization’s values and principles into every corner of Arkansas.

Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (S. 1002): I’ve lent my support to Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-MD) bill to allow tax-exempt charitable or educational organizations to make collegiate housing and infrastructure improvement grants to certain tax-exempt social clubs like college fraternities and sororities.

You can find a full list of the bills I am cosponsoring in the 114^th Congress here and the legislation I have authored here.

Here’s rundown of the bills I have signed on to support recently:

HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act: I signed on as a cosponsor to S. 857, the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act of 2015, which seeks to provide patients and their families with information about the disease and possible treatment options, including creating a care-management planning session for newly diagnosed patients.

The Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016: I joined with Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) on a bill to make the Veterans Choice Program a permanent program with advanced funding. This legislation also seeks to address the bureaucratic delays, hassles and confusion that veterans continue to experience while attempting to have their healthcare needs met.

Detaining ISIL Fighters in Guantanamo: I co-sponsored S. RES. 396 which calling for fighters involved with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) to be detained at Guantanamo Bay (Gitmo) if they are captured by the United States. I’ve also opposed President Obama’s proposal to close Gitmo and transfer detainees to facilities on US soil.

Sports Medicine Licensure Clarity Act: I co-sponsored S. 689, a bill by Sen. John Thune that would allow sports medicine professionals to be covered by their medical malpractice insurance even when treating athletes outside the state where they are licensed. This bill would allow sports medicine providers to engage in treatment of injured athletes without taking on great professional and financial risk.

You can find a full list of the bills I am cosponsoring in the 114^th Congress here and the legislation I have authored here.