Today marks 30 days until Congress votes on whether to approve or reject the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran Deal. Although President Obama tried to circumvent Congress’ authority in this matter by sending the treaty with Iran to the United Nations Security Council for approval immediately after it was signed, Congress still has an important role to play. If Congress rejects the deal, it has the power to maintain American sanctions over Iran’s economy and severely hamper its ability to continue its nuclear program.
President Obama has pledged to veto any Congressional vote against the deal, which means Congressional Republicans must secure enough Democratic votes to form a veto-proof majority. A battle is waging in the halls of Congress over these undecided votes, and today a second powerful no vote was announced.
Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) announced today that he cannot support President Obama’s deal with Iran, despite significant pressure from his party’s leadership and the White House to fall into line. As a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Menendez could be instrumental in swaying his undecided colleagues against the deal.
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was the first Senate Democrat to announce his opposition to the deal last week, amid fierce criticism from liberal activist groups. Senator Schumer disappointed many in the pro-Israel community, however, by pledging not to use his influence to persuade any of his colleagues to join him. Schumer is caught between the need to stand on principle against the Iran Deal, thereby satisfying his large Jewish constituency, and the desire to preserve his political career’s future as heir-apparent to Harry Reid’s position as the Democratic leader in the Senate. Anonymous White House sources made it clear Schumer would lose his political future if he engaged in activism against the deal, so he appears to have compromised on the issue. Never-the-less, every no vote counts.
In a statement at Seton Hall University, Senator Menendez pointed out numerous flaws in the JCPOA and stressed the need for a better deal. Menendez rejected the Obama Administration’s claim that the only alternative to the current deal is war, and offered suggestions for how to strengthen it. The senator concluded his remarks by noting that the current deal is based on hope that Iran’s regime will change its basic nature and willingly give up its ambition of nuclear weapons after enjoying the benefits of warmer relations with the international community.
“Hope is part of human nature, but unfortunately it is not a national security strategy,” he said. “If Iran is to acquire a nuclear bomb, it will not have my name on it.”
