Senate

Reid, McConnell battle ahead of Iran debate

by Jordain Carney - 09/09/15 10:30 AM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) battled ahead of the formal start of debate on the Iran agreement, pressuring each other to accept a deal.

“There is no need for the Republican leader to continue wasting the Senate’s time, and it’s precious,” Reid said, pointing to the looming deadline to fund the government as well as a visit from Pope Francis. “Every day we waste here on the floor trying to figure out what the Republicans want to do is time that we should be spending on how we’re going to fund the government.”

{mosads}Reid wants Republicans to accept an agreement that they could skip over procedural hurdles for the resolution if McConnell sets the threshold for final passage at 60 votes instead of a simple majority.

But McConnell rejected an offer from Reid on Tuesday that would have set up a vote for Thursday, while Reid rejected two attempts by McConnell to get consent to schedule votes.

Reid added Wednesday that Democrats “are willing to have all the debate the Republicans want. Two hours. Two days. … What we don’t have time [for] is to waste on Republican-contrived procedural fights that have no basis of fact in reality.”

Reid’s comments come as Democrats are expected to discuss a potential filibuster of the Iran resolution during a party lunch on Wednesday. Obama will need 41 of the 42 backers of the Iran deal to vote no on cloture in order to block it from initially passing in the Senate.

McConnell said he expects all senators to be in the Senate chamber beginning on Wednesday afternoon so that they can debate the Iran deal.

He aimed to pressure a handful of Senate Democrats who have been tightlipped about support for a filibuster, saying that constituents “deserve a serious debate and open vote.”

“Tired talking points won’t get us there. A filibuster won’t do it either,” he added. “But here’s what will: Respecting each other will get us there.”

Congress has until Sept. 17 to pass a potential Iran resolution.

Tags Harry Reid Iran Mitch McConnell