Veto Struggle With Congress Possible Over Iran Nuclear Deal
By David Espo | AP July 14 at 1:56 PM
WASHINGTON — The Republican-controlled Congress can’t block the complex nuclear agreement the Obama administration announced with Iran on Tuesday, but a veto struggle is a near certainty as lawmakers try to undermine the deal by insisting that numerous sanctions remain in place.
A law that President Barack Obama signed earlier this year gives him five days to submit the agreement to Congress for review. It also provides for a condensed, 60-day period for Congress to hold hearings and consider legislation that would bar him from lifting sanctions that lawmakers have enacted in recent years.
Republicans and Democrats both noted the measure would be subject to a 60-vote requirement in the Senate. The GOP holds 54 seats, meaning party leaders would need the votes of at least six Democrats to pass the legislation, technically known as a resolution of disapproval.
Obama has already said he’ll veto any legislation to leave sanctions in place. A two-thirds majority in each house would be required to override him. As an example, that means the administration would be assured of prevailing if it could hold the votes of 34 Democrats in the Senate.
A close vote on overriding a veto is likely, and Obama’s hopes would rest in part on the views of Democrats with close ties to Israel, which vehemently opposes the lifting of any sanctions. Among them is Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, a member of the leadership, who issued a non-committal statement saying he would “carefully study the agreement before making an informed decision.”
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/veto-struggle-with-congress-possible-over-iran-nuclear-deal/2015/07/14/9d808202-2a51-11e5-960f-22c4ba982ed4_story.html
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