Iran Bill Sparks Partisan Clash in Senate
The Senate will vote to allow debate on the Iran Nuclear Review Act of 2015, S-625, when the chamber reconvenes on March 9, Senate Republican leadership said. The legislation would require congressional approval of any nuclear enrichment deal the U.S. brokers with Iran and other countries and would also put constraints on sanctions relief.
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The top ranking Foreign Relations Committee lawmakers, Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., introduced the same bill, S-615 (here), on Feb. 27. But Menendez and nine other Democrats told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to hold off on voting for the legislation in a March 4 letter (here). McConnell refiled the legislation as S-625 in order to bypass the committee process, said the letter.
The Obama administration faces a March 24 deadline to reach a tentative agreement with Iran in the enrichment negotiations, and those Democrats said they would only vote for the Iran legislation after that date. The bill also must go through the committee process, the letter added.
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, shot back at the Democratic letter in March 4 comments on the Senate floor. “[Menendez] opposes voting on his own bill because of the Senate procedures and the process,” said Cornyn, according to a transcript released by his office. “Good luck with explaining that to your constituents.”