President Obama said that he would allow the Senate to have a voice, through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, by signing a compromise bill in matters related to the nuclear accord with the Iranians. In fact, he has moved the entire legislation related to the Iran deal to the Senate for a full vote.
Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman, in admitting that Obama wasn’t necessarily thrilled with these developments, in saying, “We’ve gone from a piece of legislation that the president would veto to a piece of legislation that’s undergone substantial revision such that it’s now in the form of a compromise that the president would be willing to sign. That would certainly be an improvement.”
This Committee is an odd mix of the President’s Republican opponents as well as his strongest Democratic allies that want a congressional role as international negotiators so as to turn this international nuclear sanctions into a clear deal.
This legislation allows Congress to vote on the deal that is made with Iran but in such a manner that would make it difficult for President Obama to lose. This gives Kerry to inform his Iranian counterpart that there is very little chance of the deal not falling through.
Now Obama has the power to veto the legislation just in case Congress rejects the agreement and he will need only the support of 34 Democrats to support such a move.
This bill requires the White House to send the text of a final agreement (with classified information) to Congress once it is complete. Also, the lifting of sanctions on Iran will be stopped until Congress reviews the nuclear accord as well.