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Senate headed for raucous debate on Iran (could reach floor today)
The Hill ^ | April 21, 2015, 06:33 pm | Jordain Carney

Posted on 04/22/2015 6:32:37 AM PDT by Dave346

The Senate could move next week to legislation would create a congressional review process for a nuclear deal with Iran, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said Tuesday.

“I think it could get here as early as Thursday,” Cardin said, when asked when the legislation would reach the Senate floor. “I don’t think there will be any floor action until next week.”

Senators are expected to turn to the Iran legislation, spearheaded by Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), after they pass a bill to curb human trafficking and vote on Loretta Lynch’s nomination for attorney general.

Corker and Cardin reached a deal on the Iran legislation last week, just hours before a Foreign Relations Committee vote. The agreement shortened the congressional review time while allowing lawmakers to pass a resolution of disapproval on any final deal.

Cardin said that he hopes the bill can move quickly on the floor.

“We had a large number of amendments in committee and we worked them out,” he said. “… My hope is that we have a minimum amount of amendments that we have to deal with.”

But Republicans have voiced skepticism about the legislation, and Cardin said that he’s “been told the Republicans have a lot of interest” in putting forward amendments to the bill.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) told reporters Tuesday that he expects the Senate debate on the Iran bill to be "interesting."

“One of the issues we’ll be dealing with in the next few days will be the level of Senate involvement in the negotiations with Iran,” he said. “I think it’s going to be an interesting debate.”

The Missouri Republican suggested that one of the areas of debate would be whether or not Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism should be tied to any final deal on its nuclear program.

“I can't think of a similar time when we were trying to negotiate with somebody on one issue and talking about intercepting weapons that they might be sending to Yemen at the same time on a supposedly unrelated issue,” Blunt said. “I think it's hard to treat the conduct of Iran as if one hand in Iran doesn't know what the other hand is doing.”

Sen Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is eyeing a presidential bid, on Tuesday outlined what he thinks should be the “foundational principles” of any nuclear accord.

His principles include tying Iran’s backing of terrorism to the bargain, allowing inspections of nuclear facilities at any time, and ensuring that sanctions relief is incremental and dependent upon Iran’s compliance with the agreement.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, insisted earlier this month that all sanctions should be removed the day a final agreement is reached.

Graham said that when he asks the Obama administration about the hard-line remarks by Iran’s supreme leader, “they say, ‘well they’re just pandering to a domestic audience.’”

“What is the ayatollah worried about his poll numbers, does he think he’s going to lose the next election? This is sort of an absurd concept that they've got to build public support inside of Iran for policy choices. They just do it. You don’t like it, tough,” the South Carolina Republican told reporters. “The whole idea of why they’re speaking out, I don’t buy.”

Graham added that two things could potentially kill a final deal: No “anytime, anywhere” inspections and “immediate relief of sanctions where they get a bunch of money early on.”

The senator’s comments on Tuesday follow a push by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a 2016 presidential contender, and Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) for American prisoners in Iran be released

The two senators said Monday that the Obama administration should demand the release of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian “prior to concluding a nuclear deal with this brutal regime.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that while he doesn't like how the deal with Iran is shaping up, he'll "withhold judgement" until it's finalized.

"I don't frankly like the looks of the deal much. But we asked for the chance ... to get to review it."

Negotiators have until June 30 to finalize a deal. McConnell predicted that, leading up to the deadline, "we're going to have a lot of interpretations ... about what the deal does or doesn't do."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; Russia; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aprilfoolsirandeal; bomb; corkerbill; impeachnow; iran; israel; kenyanbornmuzzie; nuclear; russia; terror; unitedkingdom; war; waronterror

1 posted on 04/22/2015 6:32:37 AM PDT by Dave346
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To: Dave346

It’s not a “deal”, it’s a “treaty”. The Senate only has a say in “treaties”.


2 posted on 04/22/2015 6:33:56 AM PDT by glennaro
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To: Dave346

You know.... after watching the way Obammy etal are dealing with Iran.... I’ve come to a decision that is not comforting. I believe Iran already has the bomb. That’s my guess. They are calling the shots because they are threatening Obammy.


3 posted on 04/22/2015 6:34:51 AM PDT by kjam22 (my music video "If My People" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74b20RjILy4)
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To: Dave346
This is sort of an absurd concept that they've got to build public support inside of Iran for policy choices. They just do it. You don’t like it, tough,”

Sounds like another government I know.

4 posted on 04/22/2015 6:37:22 AM PDT by optiguy (If government is the answer, it was a stupid question.)
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To: Dave346

there will be no deal with Iran


5 posted on 04/22/2015 6:37:54 AM PDT by bert ((K.E.; N.P.; GOPc.;+12, 73, ..... Obama is public enemy #1)
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To: kjam22

> You know.... after watching the way Obammy etal are dealing with Iran.... I’ve come to a decision that is not comforting. I believe Iran already has the bomb. That’s my guess. They are calling the shots because they are threatening Obammy.

My assessment as well. I will lay money on it that 0 pulled a Clintonesque move and sold them plans on how to build the nuke already. 0 is def not good at foreign policy unless he’s on the enemy’s side. In that case he’s making fools of the American people and Congress...which I believe to be the case.


6 posted on 04/22/2015 6:40:28 AM PDT by jsanders2001
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To: jsanders2001

Yep... this has all of the signs of “they already have a bomb”.


7 posted on 04/22/2015 6:43:38 AM PDT by kjam22 (my music video "If My People" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74b20RjILy4)
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To: Dave346

The do nothing senate will do nothing.


8 posted on 04/22/2015 6:44:53 AM PDT by Starboard
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To: Dave346

“...create a congressional review process...”

Create?

Really?

You mean to tell me that after 200+ years, this is new ground for the US Congress?

B S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


9 posted on 04/22/2015 6:47:44 AM PDT by SMARTY ("When you blame others, you give up your power to change." Robert Anthony)
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To: kjam22

That is a thought worth considering. I will knaw on it.

My view is that the Iranian efforts have been seriously disrupted by a series of sabotages on the ground. Were that not so, the predictions in ‘09 that the would have a bomb in one year would have come to pass.

The disruptions we know are pretty serious and there is likely another list of disruptions about which we don’t know.

What we don’t know is who caused or produced the disruptions. We can be certain it was not Obama or he would be crowing about it. Iran has suffered serious attacks by covert operations by unknown parties willing to let them remain secret.


10 posted on 04/22/2015 6:49:52 AM PDT by bert ((K.E.; N.P.; GOPc.;+12, 73, ..... Obama is public enemy #1)
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To: bert

My guess is Iran has the bomb, and that’s why they’re leading Obammy around like he leashed with a nose ring.


11 posted on 04/22/2015 6:53:33 AM PDT by kjam22 (my music video "If My People" at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74b20RjILy4)
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To: Dave346

“advice and consent” - 1.) Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote. (Archaic)

2.) Things done by the Senate that do not impinge on the prerogatives of the executive branch. (Modern)


12 posted on 04/22/2015 7:34:12 AM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: tumblindice
Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.

Precisely, so why in hell do the repubs want to pass a bill requiring a simple majority ?????

This is a clear abrogation of their duties, any repub voting for this should not be re-elected. In fact should be impeached.

Lo..I fear the damage is done

13 posted on 04/22/2015 7:50:54 AM PDT by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: Dave346

It’s just the stupid, enabling GOPe hard at work again.


14 posted on 04/22/2015 7:54:26 AM PDT by Gritty (It's obvious to me 'racism' is 99% fake and hatred of religion is 98% real - Jonah Goldberg)
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To: Robe

The EXEMPT: "All power resides in our Moslem King.
If any conservative disagrees, we will send the IRS against you,
and then cover it up, as always.
"

15 posted on 04/22/2015 7:56:50 AM PDT by Diogenesis ("When a crime is unpunished, the world is unbalanced.")
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To: Dave346
review process

There is is folks. Our republicans at work. They will review Obama's actions. They will stamp their feet but won't do a thing to stop Obama. And regardless, whatever the "review" will not be in the agreement that OBama will illegally make with Iran.
16 posted on 04/22/2015 9:42:06 AM PDT by Organic Panic
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