WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement as the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 moves to the Senate floor.
“As the full Senate begins consideration of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act this week, I urge my colleagues to recognize the critical and singular opportunity this legislation offers.
“The Corker-Menendez bill would provide Congress with a constructive, limited, and appropriate opportunity to review any deal reached with Iran. If the bill fails because of amendments that do not address the core issue of Iran’s nuclear capability, Congress will have effectively ceded its rightful role in removing the congressionally-enacted sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table in the first place. This result would be unacceptable.
“In the Foreign Relations Committee, Chairman Corker and Ranking Member Cardin provided invaluable leadership and collaboration with members of the committee during consideration of this bill. Each member had ample opportunity to offer constructive comments and amendments, and the result was a unanimous, 19-0 committee vote.
“The full Senate should now follow the lead of the Foreign Relations Committee and pledge to keep partisan, politically-charged amendments from derailing this vital legislation. I am committed to working directly with Senators Corker, Cardin, and others to fight off any ‘poison pill’ amendments – from members of either party – and pass this bill through the Senate.”
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