Senate

McConnell blocks Reid’s offer on Iran vote

by Jordain Carney - 09/08/15 2:47 PM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday blocked an attempt by Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to set up a vote on the Iran deal for later this week under a higher 60-vote threshold.

Reid tried to get unanimous consent to schedule a vote on a resolution to disapprove the nuclear agreement for Thursday in which 60 votes would be needed to attach the resolution to a House-passed shell bill that’s being used as the Senate’s vehicle for the Iran deal.

{mosads}”If the Republicans want more debate time, you can have it, but three days I thought would be adequate,” Reid said. “If anyone thinks that this is not a serious issue, I don’t know what could be a serious issue, and based upon the underlying foundation that has been by my friend for many years, this is going to require a 60 vote threshold. Everyone knows that.”

Reid’s attempt comes after he made an offer to McConnell over the weekend to move directly to a final passage vote on the Iran, if the Republican leader would agree to a 60-vote threshold for the vote.

McConnell objected to Reid’s request and instead tried to get consent for the Senate to attach the resolution of disapproval to the House-passed bill Thursday, before the Senate takes a final passage vote.

But Reid objected to that request, as well as a separate request from McConnell that, if the resolution is able to overcome a procedural hurdle, would have allowed the Senate to vote on final passage of the Iran deal after four hours of debate later this week.

Reid’s manuever comes as the number of senators in support of the deal reached 41 Tuesday, potentially giving Obama the support needed to block a resolution of disapproval from initially passing the Senate.

Tags Harry Reid Iran Mitch McConnell