Senate

Dem Sen. Casey mum on potential Iran filibuster

by Jordain Carney - 09/08/15 7:28 PM ET

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) on Tuesday suggested he’s undecided on a Democratic push to use a filibuster to block a resolution of disapproval on the Iran nuclear deal from passing the Senate.

“We’re going to be discussing that tomorrow and … [we’ll] see where things are,” he said, in response to questions on whether he would support a filibuster, adding, “we’ll see.”

{mosads}Casey’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment on the senator’s position.

Casey’s remarks come as Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) announced her support for the Iran nuclear deal, giving the agreement a 42nd backer in the Senate.

Casey, who backed the agreement last week, isn’t alone on not committing to back a filibuster. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) have all remained tightlipped about whether they would vote “no” on cloture for the resolution of disapproval.

Coons told CNN last week that “it would be really regrettable” if senators weren’t able to take vote on the Iran deal.

If they decide to withhold their support for a filibuster, it could undermine supporters of the agreement. They will need 41 of the deal’s 42 Senate supports to vote “no” on invoking cloture to block the resolution from passing the Senate. Otherwise, President Obama will need to veto the resolution, and 34 senators will have to vote to uphold that veto.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told reporters he would back the filibuster after announcing his support for the deal earlier Tuesday.

“My instinct is that the key question for the American people is whether we support the agreement,” he said. “Whether it’s on cloture or a final vote on the merits, I’m going to vote in support of the agreement.”

Congress has until Sept. 17 to pass legislation on the Iran deal, and until early October to override a potential veto.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) offered a deal to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that would allow the Senate to skip procedural votes on the Iran legislation, if the Republican leader would set the final passage threshold at 60 votes.

McConnell rejected that offer Tuesday.

It would have allowed skeptical Democrats to avoid making a decision on whether to filibuster the resolution, while also requiring Republicans to get the same number of supporters that a cloture vote would require.

Tags Bob Casey Iran