Conceding defeat, Iran deal opponents at least want a vote

Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Mark Warner of Virginia and Cory Booker of New Jersey formally announced their backing. He laid out an array of details that quite frankly we aren’t hearing in other places, certainly that we aren’t reading that level of detail in much of the press.

Senator Barbra Mikulski of Maryland came out in favor of the Iran deal Wednesday morning, and with that the deal’s opponents will no longer be able to stop it from going forward. While no dates have been set for the votes on the agreement the Congress must act before September 17, the 60 day deadline for Congress to overturn the deal. “However, Congress must also reaffirm our commitment to the safety and security of Israel”.

Today’s Question: Do you think the Iran deal is in the best interest of the U.S.?

The Obama administration has secured enough support from United States lawmakers to prevent the landmark Iran nuclear deal from being scuttled in Congress.

U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., on Friday became the seventh member of Washington’s congressional delegation to support the accord, officially the Joint Plan of Action, aimed at preventing Iran’s development of nuclear weapons.

US Congress could still oppose the deal, but Obama has now enough votes to override any resolution of disapproval.

“No deal is ideal, especially one negotiated with the Iranian regime”.

On Wednesday, Senate Democrats clinched the needed votes to uphold Obama’s veto, if necessary, of a resolution of disapproval that Republicans are trying to pass this month.

Only two Senate Democrats, Chuck Schumer of New York and New Jersey’s Bob Menendez, have publically declared their opposition to the nuclear accord.

The Rasmussen result is similar to that of a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday showing that 55 percent oppose the deal and 25 percent support it. The White House is hoping that at least seven of the remaining 10 undeclared Democrats will back the deal and spare the need for a veto.

“The agreement puts some limits on Iran’s nuclear program, but it also legitimizes it, thereby encouraging a nuclear arms race in the most unstable area of the world”, Alexander stated. The deal calls for the United States to lift economic sanctions against Iran in return for Iran’s agreement not to develop nuclear weapons.

Cardin’s announcement makes that target a more hard one, more so as a spokesman for Manchin said he had decided he would not support a filibuster, although he has yet to make up his mind about the nuclear agreement itself.