Senate Democrats move away from Obama as Congress passes bill on Iran

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a bill Tuesday that would give Congress an up-or-down vote on whatever final agreement emerges from international negotiations to contain Iran’s nuclear program.

The committee’s Republicans and Democrats join to back the measure unanimously, so a similar bipartisan support on the Senate floor is expected.

In fact, some pundits are predicting a veto-proof passage with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle unified to keep the congressional power over the White House.

President Obama in the Roosevelt Room. 3/15/09. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

President Obama has repeatedly threatened to veto legislation that subjects an Iran nuclear deal to a congressional vote, but the White House on Tuesday said that the president will sign the compromise bill hammered out by Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Maryland Sen. Benjamin Cardin, the committee’s ranking Democrat.

The revised measure, which received the blessing of leaders in both parties, shortens congressional review of the Iran deal from 60 days to 30 days.

If lawmakers vote to reject the nuclear deal, the president would have 12 days to accept the vote or veto the bill. Should he choose the latter option, Congress would have 10 days to override the president’s veto.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that Obama is not “particularly thrilled” with the bill approved by the Foreign Relations Committee, but that he finds it more palatable than Sen. Corker’s previous version.