Diplomacy

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Senate Committee Unanimously Passes Compromise Nuke Deal Oversight Bill

A bill mandating Congressional oversight of any Iran nuclear deal agreed to by the administration passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously today after the top senators on the committee agreed to a compromise on the bill’s language.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the committee, said that the legislation, which passed 19-0, “absolutely, 100% keeps the congressional review process — the integrity of it — in place.”

The compromise language, which was worked out by Corker and ranking Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin (D – Md.), shortened the amount of time of Congress would get to review a nuclear agreement with Iran from 60 days to 30, and softened some other provisions of the bill.

The bill is consistent with a poll released today by Suffolk University showing that Americans favor congressional review of any nuclear deal with Iran by a wide margin—72% to 19%.

Earlier today, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that President Barack Obama would sign the compromise bill, reversing the administration’s longstanding objection to any congressional oversight of a potential nuclear deal with Iran.

Sources in both the Senate and the House of Representatives said that the compromise bill had enough votes to override a potential presidential veto.

[Photo: Roll Call / YouTube ]