WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A Senate panel on Thursday approved two top Treasury officials to lead the department's anti-terrorism unit that aims to deprive insurgents of funds through financial sanctions.
The panel voted 18-4 in favor of David Cohen to serve as the Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial crimes and voted overwhelmingly in favor of Daniel Glaser as assistant secretary for terrorist financing.
But two senators, Democrat Robert Menendez and Republican Mark Kirk, expressed concerns that the department was not properly enforcing an Iran sanctions law.
"We need to have a robust enforcement of our sanctions law," said Menendez, comparing weak enforcement to a toothless tiger. "It sends the wrong message to countries like Iran," he said.
The law, passed last year, aims to cut off funds that could support Iran's nuclear program by effectively requiring banks to choose between dealing with the U.S. financial system or doing business with Iran.
The full Senate must now vote on the White House nominations.
(Reporting by Rachelle Younglai; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
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