Senate

Boxer wants Iran vote delayed

by Jordain Carney - 04/08/15 6:36 PM ET

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is pushing Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) to delay voting on legislation on an Iran nuclear deal.

Boxer suggested Wednesday that having the Foreign Relations Committee take up a bill Tuesday, as expected, would be rash.

“To force Congress to weigh in now on the Iran nuclear talks before a final deal has been completed would be a reckless rush to judgment,” she said in a letter to Corker, the committee’s chairman.

{mosads}“It would undermine negotiations at a critical moment and could derail a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deal with this looming threat.”

The committee is expected to vote on a bill from Corker and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) that would allow Congress to weigh in on any final deal. It would also block President Obama from rolling back sanctions for approximately 60 days while lawmakers review the agreement.

In the letter, Boxer referenced a statement signed by more than 50 officials, including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who chaired the Armed Services Committee.

She urged Corker to “heed the bipartisan advice” and hold off on a committee vote until after a final agreement had been reached. Negotiators have until June 30 to finalize a deal.

If Corker moves forward with Tuesday’s markup, Boxer said she will use the amendment process to try to delay a vote until after the deal has been finalized.

“In the event that you do not put off next week’s markup … I have filed an amendment that would urge the Committee to delay this vote until a final agreement has been reached,” she said. “The Committee has the right and obligation to hold hearings and debate the framework, but it would simply be irresponsible to vote on legislation before we have seen the final terms of a deal.”

Boxer’s letter follows House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) saying she will oppose Corker’s legislation.

Pelosi said the proposal “undermines these international negotiations and represents an unnecessary hurdle to achieving a strong, final agreement.”

Liberal outside groups also weighed in Wednesday ahead of the vote, warning Senate Democrats that they will “hold accountable” any lawmaker who helps pass Iran legislation.

Tags Barbara Boxer