To the editor:

This year I again had the pleasure of spending August at home in Western North Carolina meeting with you, my bosses. Over the span of three weeks, I conducted seven town hall meetings throughout the 10^th District. Along the way, I joined numerous chamber lunches, Rotary Club meetings, and other public forums where I shared my concerns about the problems facing our nation and—more importantly, heard yours.

Throughout these meetings, common themes emerged. Many in the 10^th District have lingering anxieties about the economy and the job market. I heard time and again from constituents sickened and disgusted by videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s treatment of aborted babies. And—thanks to Obamacare—increased healthcare costs continue to hurt many in our state.

While each of these topics raised serious and meaningful concerns, the number one issue I heard about was the Obama administration’s proposed nuclear agreement with Iran. Time and again, at each of my seven town hall meetings, I heard deep fears about this deal. Some believe it does not do enough to prevent a nuclear Iran. Others think it endangers our allies in the Middle East, including our most sacred ally Israel.

Concerns about the fate of our ally Israel had a special resonance with me this year as I took a week off from town hall meetings to join 30 of my Congressional colleagues on a trip to Israel. In the week I spent there, I met with Israelis from across the political and economic spectrum. From government leaders to regular citizens, the general consensus was the same: a nuclear Iran poses a grave threat to both Israeli security and world peace.

When you spoke to me at town hall meetings about the proposed nuclear agreement, you said Iran cannot be trusted to follow through on their commitments. You were angry that our—to this point successful—sanctions regime will be lifted before the Iranian regime does anything. And you expressed the strong belief that Iran will use that sanctions relief to increase support for terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, or the rogue regimes in Syria and Yemen.

In Israel, these concerns took on a frightening reality. During our visit, we had the honor of spending nearly two hours meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Throughout our meeting, the Prime Minister outlined the very real dangers posed by the agreement. We had many questions and he took time to answer each. I left that meaning with a clear sense of the dangers posed by a nuclear Iran.

Criticisms to this agreement do not stop there. The secret side deals between the Iranian regime and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are deeply troubling. President Obama’s habit of comparing reasoned opponents of the deal to Iranian hardliners chanting “Death to America” has no place in our public discourse and raises serious questions about his motives in pursuing this agreement.

After a week in Israel and three weeks of town hall meetings throughout Western North Carolina, my opposition to this Iranian nuclear agreement has only strengthened. It is crystal clear a nuclear Iran poses a grievous threat to Israel, our other allies in the region, and world peace as a whole. Come September, I will vote to disapprove of this disastrous agreement and strongly urge my colleagues to join me in stopping this bad deal.

Congressman Patrick McHenry
Washington, D.C.