Senate

Senate to start Iran debate Thursday

by Jordain Carney - 04/23/15 12:54 PM ET

The Senate will take up legislation to allow Congress to review a nuclear deal with Iran on Thursday.

First votes on the bill could come as soon as Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said.

{mosads}Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) suggested that Republicans want to offer amendments to the agreement reached by Cardin and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

“I’ve heard that some senators want to offer amendments to really hurt this bill,” the Nevada Democrat said. “I hope that is in fact not the case.”

McConnell said earlier on Thursday that he expects a “vigorous debate” next week on the legislation.

“This bill will be open for amendment, and those who seek to improve it will have an opportunity to do this,” he said. “We look forward to a vigorous debate on it next week.”

Reid suggested that work on the legislation could dominate the Senate schedule next week, saying that the “bill will take some time.”

The Foreign Relations Committee passed the legislation unanimously last week, after Corker and Cardin reached an agreement hours before a scheduled markup of the legislation.

Conservative Republicans have voiced some skepticism of the bill, citing worries it does not give enough of a role to Congress.

The bill would allow Congress to vote to approve or disapprove of the nuclear deal the U.S is trying to reach with Iran and members of the United Nations on Iran’s capabilities. Negotiators are trying to reach an agreement by a June 30 deadline.

Tags Ben Cardin Bob Corker Harry Reid Mitch McConnell