23 Dec 2024
Tuesday 7 April 2015 - 09:52
Story Code : 158760

Senate to 'respond legislatively' with vote on Iran bill - Majority leader

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the US Senate will vote on legislation that seeks to ensure lawmakers will have a say before a final agreement is reached with Iran on its nuclear program in June 2015.


WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US Senate will vote onlegislation that seeks toensure lawmakers will have a say beforea final agreement is reached withIran onits nuclear program inJune 2015, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said ina statement.

The [Obama] administration needs toexplain tothe Congress and the American people why an interim agreement should result inreduced pressure onthe world's leading state sponsor ofterror," McConnell stated onMonday.

"The Senate will review these parameters more thoroughly, and respond legislatively withthe Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of2015, which is scheduled tobe reported outof the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week," McConnell added.

On April 2, 2015, the P5+1 group ofcountries, including the United States, France, Russia, China and the United Kingdom plus Germany, reached a political framework agreement withIran aimed atguaranteeing the peaceful nature ofTehrans nuclear program. The framework agreement will be followed witha comprehensive technical agreement set tobe reached byJune 30, 2015.

However, some members ofCongress argue that lawmakers should have a final say beforea final agreement is reached.

In February 2015, US Senator Bob Corker introduced the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act that would require US President Barack Obama tosubmit the final Iran nuclear agreement fora congressional approval.On Thursday, Corker who chairs the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that the legislation had bipartisan support and he was confident there would be a strong vote forhis bill when it is taken upin Committee onApril 14.

Corker has also criticized the idea that the Obama administration may try to bypass Congress, and seek the approval ofthe United Nations forthe nuclear deal.

"Until we know more aboutIran's previous research, no nation can be sure ofwhat Iran may have developed covertly already," Senator McConnell warned onMonday. "The choice is not betweenrecognizing Iran asa threshold nuclear state or going towar. Instead the [Obama] administration should have made clear tothe Iranians that additional sanctions and a credible military threat awaited further delay and intransigence."

Earlier onMonday, the White House said that the US Congress should not vote onany legislation that could affect the outcome ofthe Iran nuclear negotiations beforeJune 2015.


By Sputnik News
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