Washington prepares for pivotal September vote in Congress on Iran nuclear deal
Advocates and skeptics of the Iran nuclear deal are plotting their final moves for support as Congress prepares to return from August recess next week to a consequential vote on the accord.
US President Barack Obama has nearly secured the votes necessary in the Senate to preserve the deal, which is to face a resolution of disapproval vote by September 17. To do so, he needs the support of only one-third of senators or an equivalent number in the House of Representatives.
That would allow him to sustain a veto of the resolution, should it pass. But his new goal, according to aides, is not only to pick up three additional senators, but to prevent the vote entirely by securing a total of 41 Senate Democrats in support of the deal.
Doing so allows the Democrats to filibuster, effectively preventing the vote from occurring. As of Monday, 31 senators had declared support for the accord.
Only two Democrats have joined a united Republican caucus, comprising 54 members in opposition. But those numbers are expected to change this week as undecided Democrats prepare to declare their intentions.
Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware) is to deliver a speech on his decision Tuesday, and Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) planned to meet with his constituents on the same day, as he considers his own vote.