Senate Democrats are demanding a delay in an upcoming vote on bipartisan legislation that would allow a comprehensive review of an Obama administration deal with Iran on nuclear arms.
With critical Democratic support for the measure now at stake, at least one GOP sponsor of the bill said he is willing to wait.
Sen. Bob Menendez, of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is calling on Republicans to hold off on a vote on the measure, which is scheduled for next week. He wants the Senate to wait until after March 24, which is the deadline for producing an outline of a deal with Iran.
“If there is a deal, then there is plenty of time to get this through committee, and get it passed on the floor and have a process,” Menendez said of the Senate legislation, which he co-authored along with Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Graham told the Washington Examiner he is willing to accept the Menendez request. But it will be largely up to Corker and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to decide whether to hold the vote next week.
“I want to get a bipartisan vote to let the administration and the Iranians know that Congress will be involved in terms of lifting the sanctions,” Graham said. “I don’t want to create a problem for Democrats. If we have to wait until after the 24th, I’m willing to wait. As long as I know there will be bipartisan support for review of the deal.”
Neither Corker nor McConnell has responded to requests about the timing of the bill.
McConnell this week began parliamentary process that will allow for consideration of the legislation beginning next week. The move came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress warning that the evolving U.S. nuclear deal with Iran is too weak to stop the nation from developing a nuclear weapon.
Corker said Tuesday he supported McConnell’s decision.
“I would think anybody who ran for the United States Senate and cares about the big issues facing our nation would want to support this piece of legislation,” Corker said. “I think everyone in America should want the House and the Senate to weigh in on this most important agreement that may be reached, and I’m glad we’re going to have the opportunity to do so.”
Significant Democratic support is needed if Republicans hope to pass the measure withstand a likely veto from President Obama.
Five Democrats and Independent Angus King are co-sponsors, giving the GOP enough votes to prevent a filibuster and clear the measure through Congress.
But Republicans could lose that support if they don’t give in to Democratic demands on the timing.
King, of Maine, said all Democratic supporters have indicated they will not back the bill if it comes to the floor next week.
King said otherwise the bill was likely to receive at least 67 votes, a veto-proof majority that would require 13 Democratic backers.
“I think yesterday derailed that to some extent,” King said, referring to McConnell’s announcement that the bill would be voted on next week. “We’ll see if confidence can be rebuilt.”
