Republicans dig in on Iran bill

Republican senators are pushing for changes to Iran legislation that could threaten Democratic support ahead of a vote next week.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is pushing for an amendment that would tie Israel to the Iran nuclear fight, according to a source tracking the legislation. Under the proposal Iran would have to publicly accept Israel’s “right to exist.”

{mosads}The potential requirement echoes remarks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said last week that a final deal on Iran’s nuclear program must include a “clear and unambiguous Iranian recognition of Israel’s right to exist.”

Rubio’s office hasn’t responded to requests for comment on what amendments the Florida Republican submitted to the legislation, spearheaded by Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). Just because a senator files an amendment, doesn’t mean they will formally bring it up during a committee hearing.

But, if Rubio formally brings up the amendment next week, it could put Foreign Relations Committee Democrats in a tight spot, forcing them to either open themselves up to future political attacks on their support for Israel by voting against the amendment, or enrage the White House by voting for it.

Rubio isn’t the only Republican pushing for changes.

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) wants to tie compensation for Americans who were held hostage by Iran between 1979 to 1981 to the legislation on Iran’s nuclear program.

The Georgia Republican suggested that it was “more than appropriate” to bring up the Americans who were held hostage during the current debate. He has filed two amendments that “ensure that resolving the issue of compensation for hostages is considered.”

“As we debate our foreign policy toward Iran, it seems more appropriate than ever that we compensate the victims of the Iran hostage crisis who were forced to endure unimaginable fear, despair and torture for 444 days,” Isakson said.  “We owe it to them and their families to see to it that the nation of Iran compensates them for the damages perpetrated upon them before reducing sanctions imposed on Iran or normalizing diplomatic relations with Iran.”

Meanwhile, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) filed four amendments, one of which could counteract Democrats’ attempts to strip a provision that would allow Congress to increase sanctions against Iran if President Obama can’t certify that it hasn’t directly supported or carried out terrorism against the United States.

Barrasso’s amendments would require Obama to prove that any money from sanctions relief would not help Iran’s ability to boost terrorist groups, or go toward nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles.

Under the Wyoming Republican’s amendment Obama would have meet the threshold before any sanctions could be rolled back, as well every 60 days after an agreement, or sanctions would be reinstated.

Democratic Sens. Chris Coons (Del.) and Chris Murphy (Conn.) have filed separate amendments to strip the terrorism certification included in the legislation.

It would also change the Corker-Menendez legislation, so that Obama couldn’t roll back sanctions until after Congress has passed a joint resolution of approval. Under the current legislation, Obama can also take action if Congress fails to pass a resolution within 60 days.

Barrasso would also change the number of days Obama is barred from rolling back sanctions from 60 calendar days to 60 session days. With a final deadline for a deal not until June 30, and Congress scheduled to be on recess for most of August and the first week of September, that could add another month before the president can potentially lift sanctions

While Barrasso has filed the amendments, it’s unclear if he will bring them up in next week’s Foreign Relations Committee hearing. A source familiar with the amendments told The Hill that the senator would only formally call up the amendments if Democrats tried to weaken the Corker-Menendez bill, which he supports in its current form.

The Obama administration would likely object strongly to any of the amendments being added to the legislation. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters earlier this week that “we’ve been very clear that this agreement is focused on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and that it is not going to succeed in resolving the long list of concerns that we have with Iran’s behavior.”

The president has pledged to veto the Iran legislation, which allows Congress to weigh in on a nuclear deal, if it reaches his desk before June 30.