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| Republican Lawmakers Vow Fight to Derail Nuclear Deal | Republican Lawmakers Vow Fight to Derail Nuclear Deal |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Before Congress had even begun its official review, Republican leaders vowed Tuesday to kill President Obama’s nuclear accord with Iran, setting up a fierce fight to save the president’s signature diplomatic achievement. | |
| Congress will have 60 days to review the deal, once all documents have been sent to the Capitol, after which it can pass a resolution of approval, pass one of disapproval or do nothing. Mr. Obama would veto a resolution of disapproval, and the opponents could derail the agreement only if they could rally the required two-thirds vote of Congress to override his action. | Congress will have 60 days to review the deal, once all documents have been sent to the Capitol, after which it can pass a resolution of approval, pass one of disapproval or do nothing. Mr. Obama would veto a resolution of disapproval, and the opponents could derail the agreement only if they could rally the required two-thirds vote of Congress to override his action. |
| “I want to go through this process and make sure we fully understand what we’re voting on,” said Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “In the end, those who believe this truly is going to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon will vote for it. Those who believe that is not the case, and the world is not going to be safer — in some ways it may pave the way for them to get a nuclear weapon — will vote against it.” | “I want to go through this process and make sure we fully understand what we’re voting on,” said Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “In the end, those who believe this truly is going to keep Iran from getting a nuclear weapon will vote for it. Those who believe that is not the case, and the world is not going to be safer — in some ways it may pave the way for them to get a nuclear weapon — will vote against it.” |
| Mr. Corker, the chief author of the review act, strongly implied that he was in the latter camp. | Mr. Corker, the chief author of the review act, strongly implied that he was in the latter camp. |
| Republican opposition to diplomatic overtures dates at least to President Richard M. Nixon’s visit to China. Even President Ronald Reagan faced a backlash after raising the prospects of deep nuclear arms reductions after meeting Mikhail S. Gorbachev in Reykjavik, Iceland. | Republican opposition to diplomatic overtures dates at least to President Richard M. Nixon’s visit to China. Even President Ronald Reagan faced a backlash after raising the prospects of deep nuclear arms reductions after meeting Mikhail S. Gorbachev in Reykjavik, Iceland. |
| For the White House, selling the deal to Congress, including doubters in the president’s own party, may prove almost as difficult as reaching agreement with Iran. | For the White House, selling the deal to Congress, including doubters in the president’s own party, may prove almost as difficult as reaching agreement with Iran. |
| Mr. Obama defended the deal in a lengthy interview with the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, and scheduled a formal news conference at the White House on Wednesday to address questions about it, while Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is scheduled to meet with House Democrats on Capitol Hill to build support among lawmakers. | Mr. Obama defended the deal in a lengthy interview with the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, and scheduled a formal news conference at the White House on Wednesday to address questions about it, while Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is scheduled to meet with House Democrats on Capitol Hill to build support among lawmakers. |
| There was no similar effort to assuage Republicans, whose repudiation of the Iran deal was a blow not only to Mr. Obama but also to conservative leaders the party usually backs, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. | There was no similar effort to assuage Republicans, whose repudiation of the Iran deal was a blow not only to Mr. Obama but also to conservative leaders the party usually backs, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. |
| “In the next couple of months, the international community is going to be focused on Congress. I got that,” Mr. Corker said in an interview. “I understand the position we’re in.” | “In the next couple of months, the international community is going to be focused on Congress. I got that,” Mr. Corker said in an interview. “I understand the position we’re in.” |
| After decades of war in the Middle East, it is unclear whether such opposition will reflect broad public opinion or a narrow, passionate core of hawkish conservatives and pro-Israel Democrats. | After decades of war in the Middle East, it is unclear whether such opposition will reflect broad public opinion or a narrow, passionate core of hawkish conservatives and pro-Israel Democrats. |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, expressed support for the deal both publicly and behind closed doors with congressional Democrats. | Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, expressed support for the deal both publicly and behind closed doors with congressional Democrats. |
| “This is an important step in putting the lid on Iran’s nuclear program,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters during a visit with Democrats at the Capitol. All Republican presidential contenders who offered an opinion said they strongly opposed the deal. | “This is an important step in putting the lid on Iran’s nuclear program,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters during a visit with Democrats at the Capitol. All Republican presidential contenders who offered an opinion said they strongly opposed the deal. |
| On Iran, the bellicose position may be the easiest one politically. Republicans saw an opportunity to drive a wedge between Democratic politicians and the Jewish voters who traditionally support them. One senior House Democrat said party leaders were trying to show that a presidential veto would be safe from an override, but they were struggling to find a third of the House willing to publicly state support for the deal. | On Iran, the bellicose position may be the easiest one politically. Republicans saw an opportunity to drive a wedge between Democratic politicians and the Jewish voters who traditionally support them. One senior House Democrat said party leaders were trying to show that a presidential veto would be safe from an override, but they were struggling to find a third of the House willing to publicly state support for the deal. |
| In talks with foreign policy analysts, Jewish groups and other prominent stakeholders whose support or opposition could be pivotal, White House nuclear experts and State Department officials argued that the deal would place strict, verifiable limits on Iran’s nuclear program and cut off Iran’s paths to a nuclear weapon. | In talks with foreign policy analysts, Jewish groups and other prominent stakeholders whose support or opposition could be pivotal, White House nuclear experts and State Department officials argued that the deal would place strict, verifiable limits on Iran’s nuclear program and cut off Iran’s paths to a nuclear weapon. |
| “We have cut off every pathway for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon,” Mr. Obama said in the interview. | “We have cut off every pathway for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon,” Mr. Obama said in the interview. |
| Mr. Obama said he anticipated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel would lobby Congress to reject the deal. He added that at some point he was prepared to discuss additional security aid that the United States could offer Israel to allay its concerns. | Mr. Obama said he anticipated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel would lobby Congress to reject the deal. He added that at some point he was prepared to discuss additional security aid that the United States could offer Israel to allay its concerns. |
| Mr. Netanyahu “perhaps thinks he can further influence the congressional debate, and I’m confident we’re going to be able to uphold this deal and implement it without Congress preventing that,” Mr. Obama said in the interview. | Mr. Netanyahu “perhaps thinks he can further influence the congressional debate, and I’m confident we’re going to be able to uphold this deal and implement it without Congress preventing that,” Mr. Obama said in the interview. |
| But critics were also preparing a large-scale mobilization during the August congressional recess, when lawmakers are in their home states and districts, to stoke opposition to the agreement and agitate for Congress to block it, just as supporters of the president were preparing their own counteroffensive. | But critics were also preparing a large-scale mobilization during the August congressional recess, when lawmakers are in their home states and districts, to stoke opposition to the agreement and agitate for Congress to block it, just as supporters of the president were preparing their own counteroffensive. |
| Without waiting for the details, Republicans lined up to blast the deal, from presidential candidates to congressional leaders to back benchers. Jeb Bush evoked Nazism and denounced “appeasement.” Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, another Republican White House hopeful, promised that the next president would undo it. | Without waiting for the details, Republicans lined up to blast the deal, from presidential candidates to congressional leaders to back benchers. Jeb Bush evoked Nazism and denounced “appeasement.” Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, another Republican White House hopeful, promised that the next president would undo it. |
| “We’ll do everything we can to stop it,” Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio vowed. | “We’ll do everything we can to stop it,” Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio vowed. |
| White House officials focused on making as strong a case as they could for the deal — then scrounging together enough votes to make sure it survives. | White House officials focused on making as strong a case as they could for the deal — then scrounging together enough votes to make sure it survives. |
| Representative Brad Sherman, Democrat of California and an opponent of the deal, said Washington knew exactly how the issue would play out. “We will have a resolution of disapproval,” he said during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the deal on Tuesday. “It’ll pass. It will be vetoed. The veto will be sustained. And we will get the deal in the weakest, most pitiful way possible.” | Representative Brad Sherman, Democrat of California and an opponent of the deal, said Washington knew exactly how the issue would play out. “We will have a resolution of disapproval,” he said during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the deal on Tuesday. “It’ll pass. It will be vetoed. The veto will be sustained. And we will get the deal in the weakest, most pitiful way possible.” |
| Even potential supporters say the spectacle of a majority of Congress rejecting such a delicate accord could be damaging. | Even potential supporters say the spectacle of a majority of Congress rejecting such a delicate accord could be damaging. |
| “Who wants their legacy to be a deal that is barely approved by the narrowest of margins and is opposed by the majority of Congress?” said Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “That would indicate a depth of division that would put the whole venture into question.” | “Who wants their legacy to be a deal that is barely approved by the narrowest of margins and is opposed by the majority of Congress?” said Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “That would indicate a depth of division that would put the whole venture into question.” |
| Mr. Obama and his aides have already begun the wooing. At a White House reception last week for Senate Democrats, Mr. Coons said Mr. Obama spoke at length about the Iran deal’s importance to his legacy, trying hard to assure his own party that he would not rush into an accord just to have the accomplishment. | Mr. Obama and his aides have already begun the wooing. At a White House reception last week for Senate Democrats, Mr. Coons said Mr. Obama spoke at length about the Iran deal’s importance to his legacy, trying hard to assure his own party that he would not rush into an accord just to have the accomplishment. |
| Still, White House officials were bracing for difficult questions about the implications of the agreement, including what happens after the strictest limitations phase out after 10 years and how to address what Iran may do with the money — at least $100 billion in sanctions relief — to which they will gain access through complying with the deal. | Still, White House officials were bracing for difficult questions about the implications of the agreement, including what happens after the strictest limitations phase out after 10 years and how to address what Iran may do with the money — at least $100 billion in sanctions relief — to which they will gain access through complying with the deal. |
| The White House lined up its allies, including liberal and antiwar groups, to weigh in strongly in favor of the deal. Many did so on Tuesday, promising national campaigns to defend a deal they called the only alternative to endless war in the Middle East. | The White House lined up its allies, including liberal and antiwar groups, to weigh in strongly in favor of the deal. Many did so on Tuesday, promising national campaigns to defend a deal they called the only alternative to endless war in the Middle East. |
| White House officials now must decide whether Mr. Obama should try to win over a majority of Congress, including hostile Republicans, or focus on shoring up a Democratic base to sustain a veto. Representative Ed Royce, Republican of California and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he saw the veto strategy already in play. | White House officials now must decide whether Mr. Obama should try to win over a majority of Congress, including hostile Republicans, or focus on shoring up a Democratic base to sustain a veto. Representative Ed Royce, Republican of California and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he saw the veto strategy already in play. |
| “I don’t see them convincing skeptical Democrats this is a good agreement,” he said. “I see them pressuring Democrats to go along.” | “I don’t see them convincing skeptical Democrats this is a good agreement,” he said. “I see them pressuring Democrats to go along.” |