Senate panel OKs bill giving Congress say on Iran nuclear deal

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill by a 19-0 vote to give Congress a say in an emerging deal aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief.

Earlier in the day, Republicans and Democrats on the committee reached a compromise on the bill. The move came as Secretary of State John Kerry and other members of the Cabinet visited Capitol Hill for a second straight day to sell lawmakers on conditions of the prospective deal and to plead for time to reach an accord with Tehran by the end of June.

The bill that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was to originally vote on would have given Congress 60 days to review a deal designed to provide sanctions relief to Tehran in exchange for language preventing it from being able to develop nuclear weapons. During that time, President Barack Obama could lift sanctions imposed through presidential action, but would be prevented from easing any sanctions levied by Congress.

Under the compromise agreement, the congressional review period would be shortened. Congress would have 52 days to review a final deal. Obama still would be blocked from waiving any congressionally mandated sanctions during that time. There would be a 30-day initial congressional review period.  

Twelve more days would be added if Congress passed a bill and sent it to the president. There would be an additional 10 days during which the president could veto it — something he has already threatened to do.

The Obama administration is concerned that any action by Congress on Iran could harm the nuclear talks.  But the White House signaled on Tuesday that Obama would sign the proposed compromise.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the White House would withhold final judgment on the bill while it works its way through Congress, wary that potential changes could be made in committee that would render it unpalatable. But he said the White House could support the bill in its revised form.

"Despite the things about it that we don't like, enough substantial changes have been made that the president would be willing to sign it," Earnest said. 

Moreover, if the deal is submitted after July 9 — a short time after the final deadline of June 30 — the review period would revert to 60 days. Under the compromise bill, the president would be required to certify to Congress every 90 days that Iran is complying with terms of any final agreement.

Obama has been in a standoff for months with lawmakers who not only believe that Congress should have an opportunity to weigh in but remain skeptical that Iran will honor any agreement.

The compromise also would remove a provision of the bill that would force Obama to certify that Iran has not supported any act of terrorism against the United States or U.S. citizens anywhere in the world, the Senate aide said. That provision would be replaced by a requirement that the president provide Congress with a series of reports on a range of issues, including terrorism, the aide said. 

In a speech on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said: “The American people should have a say.”

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters, “Congress should absolutely have the opportunity to review this deal. The administration appears to want a deal at any cost.”

International negotiators have set a June 30 deadline for reaching a final agreement aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions against Tehran.

Supporters of the bill have been scrambling to shore up bipartisan support for the measure. They want to win strong support from both Republicans and Democrats on the committee in the hopes of winning over 67 members of the 100-member Senate to eventually override a presidential veto, if necessary.

Wire services