WASHINGTON — Two influential US senators are criticizing Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell's plan to fast track a bill requiring congressional approval of any deal over Iran's nuclear program.
The Kentucky Republican on Tuesday shocked his GOP and Democratic colleagues when he announced he intends to bring the legislation to the floor next week. The announcement came just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a full-throated warning about Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and nine other Senate Democrats wrote a letter to McConnell Wednesday saying they would only vote for an Iran bill on the floor after March 24. That's the deadline for the world powers and Iran to agree on at least the parameters of a deal.
McConnell called it "worrying" that the Obama administration wants to strike a deal with Iran and five other global powers "without the input of the people's elected representatives."
"Remember, it was Congress that helped bring Iran to the table by putting sanctions in place, against the wishes of the administration," he said in a statement.
"Congress and the American people need to be part of this discussion," McConnell said. "That's why I'm acting to place this bipartisan bill on the legislative calendar."
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Sen. Bob Menendez , D-N.J., told reporters Wednesday he is concerned the legislation is being "hijacked for a political purpose."
Many Democrats want to wait until after March 24 too vote on a congressional-approval bill and another one that would slap new sanctions on Iran. until after March 24. That's the deadline for the world powers and Iran to agree on at least the parameters of a deal.
"I certainly am ready to go to a markup after the 24th," Menendez said.
A committee markup and vote later this month, Menendez and other senators say, would allow for plenty of time for the full chamber to vote before June, when the deadline for a final Iran resolution hits.
"We can get this whole process done well before June and be ready for the process to take place," Menendez said. "So I don't understand why this rush to the floor, violating regular order, which the majority leader himself has called for."
Menendez's confusion is amplified because, he says, the Foreign Relations Committee appears poised to pass a bill "with a strong bipartisan vote."
He said he would vote against the bill on the floor before March 24, despite being a sponsor.
Sen Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who said of Menendez, "I respect his opinion very much," also expressed concern about the plan.
"Regular order … is the way we need to go," he said. "I don't want the process to hurt the right outcome.
"I want a big bipartisan vote with a simple proposition: No relief from congressional sanctions until Congress agrees [a deal] is worthy of that relief," Graham said.
"If the Democrats believe they need to wait until the 24th," he said, "so be it."
Email: jbennett@defensenews.com
Twitter:@bennettjohnt
