While Senate Faces Trade Vote, House Looks to Iran and Surveillance (Boehner may limit amendments)

New York Times ^ | 7:08 am ET | Carl Hulse

[Dave346]

Republican leaders are considering bringing the Iran nuclear measure — overwhelmingly approved by the Senate last week — and a proposed overhaul of the National Security Agency’s mass surveillance program to the floor this week under special rules that would limit lawmakers’ ability to offer changes to the bills. The strategy is intended to hold off amendments — so-called poison pills — that could cause backing for the measures to fall apart.

Though the bills would each need a supermajority to pass, both measures enjoy strong bipartisan support and would most likely be approved, sparing amendment headaches for the leadership.

House conservatives have been talking about trying to force some tough votes on the Iran measure and would probably be unhappy with any leadership move to short-circuit that effort. But like Republican senators who ultimately lined up behind the Iran bill, their counterparts in the House would also be hard-pressed to oppose legislation that gives Congress some say over any eventual Iran deal. Both conservatives and progressives unhappy with the scope of the surveillance bill might also object, but that measure has broad backing as well.

If the leadership proceeds — a decision was expected as early as Tuesday — it will represent another sign that Speaker John A. Boehner and members of his leadership team are increasingly willing to antagonize some conservatives to advance consensus measures with bipartisan support.