Senator Corker Announces Bi-Partisan Compromise Reached For Congressional Review of Iran Deal

Senator Bob Corker has announced that he has reached a deal with Senate Democrats that will all but guarantee a veto-proof majority for the bill requiring congressional approval of any nuclear deal with Iran. Rather than give congress 60 days to review the deal the compromise gives congress "only" 52 days.

Senator Bob Corker said he wants a Senate panel to vote Tuesday on a bill that would give Congress 52 days to review, and potentially reject, a nuclear arms deal with Iran before sanctions are lifted against the Islamic republic.

“Those congressional sanctions cannot be waived until Congress completes its work,” Corker, a Tennessee Republican and chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said on Bloomberg TV Tuesday.

Politico reports:

Corker said the legislation, which the White House has opposed, is needed to ensure there are proper safeguards in any deal that would ease sanctions on Iran in return for restraints on its nuclear capabilities. “I would think every American would want to make sure that someone on their behalf is ensuring that that is the case,” he said, noting past mistakes with North Korea and its nuclear ambitions. 

Corker said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision Monday to lift a ban on missile system deliveries to Iran shows the “significant complexities” on the nuclear negotiations. Russia and China are both part of the P5+1 group that reached a preliminary deal with Iran earlier this month, but they don’t necessarily have the same relationships or goals as the United States, he said.

“I want us to have, by the way, a successfully negotiated agreement with Iran,” Corker added, “but obviously, you know, our partner—quote, quote, quote—Russia, certainly is making this very, very difficult, as they have in other parts of the world.”

Ironically through his sellout to Iran, President Obama finally got what he wanted--Democrats and Republicans working together to craft a compromise bill.   If the legislation receives a veto-proof majority he may rue the day he urged bipartisan cooperation.