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Campaign for Congressional Backing of Iran Nuclear Deal Begins Campaign for Congressional Backing of Iran Nuclear Deal Begins
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — President Obama formally began his lobbying campaign in Congress on Wednesday to secure the Iran nuclear deal, deploying three cabinet secretaries to the Capitol for classified briefings.WASHINGTON — President Obama formally began his lobbying campaign in Congress on Wednesday to secure the Iran nuclear deal, deploying three cabinet secretaries to the Capitol for classified briefings.
But they faced counterprogramming from Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, who met with the most conservative House Republicans to urge them to “leave everything on the field” to derail the accord.But they faced counterprogramming from Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, who met with the most conservative House Republicans to urge them to “leave everything on the field” to derail the accord.
The briefings by Secretary of State John Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew kicked off a blitz by the White House to save the Iran deal from a “resolution of disapproval” in September. The three will appear on Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the first open hearing on the agreement.The briefings by Secretary of State John Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew kicked off a blitz by the White House to save the Iran deal from a “resolution of disapproval” in September. The three will appear on Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the first open hearing on the agreement.
The government of Israel, in the meantime, is orchestrating a major campaign against it. Republican leaders stood firm in opposition to the Iran deal, and Republican presidential candidates joined them in condemning it. The government of Israel is orchestrating a major campaign against it. Republican leaders stood firm in opposition to the Iran deal, and Republican presidential candidates joined them in condemning it.
“This is a day we’ve been looking forward to,” Mr. Kerry said, “because we get to really talk substance, and we get to get out of the politics and into the facts.” The extraordinary showdown comes just days before an August recess, during which some parts of the country could see heated debates over the deal. One House Democrat reported receiving violent threats if she did not support a resolution of disapproval. “This is a day we’ve been looking forward to,” Mr. Kerry said, “because we get to really talk substance, and we get to get out of the politics and into the facts.”
The extraordinary showdown comes just days before an August recess, during which some parts of the country could see heated debates over the deal. One House Democrat reported receiving violent threats if she did not support a resolution of disapproval.
Mr. Kerry’s hopes aside, political rifts will be inescapable. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a Republican presidential candidate, emerged from the briefing to declare that Democrats will have to choose “whether to vote to protect the national security of this nation, to stand with our friend and ally the nation of Israel and to protect the lives of millions of Americans, or in the alternative, whether to value partisan loyalty to the White House above the most solemn responsibility each and every one of us has.”Mr. Kerry’s hopes aside, political rifts will be inescapable. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a Republican presidential candidate, emerged from the briefing to declare that Democrats will have to choose “whether to vote to protect the national security of this nation, to stand with our friend and ally the nation of Israel and to protect the lives of millions of Americans, or in the alternative, whether to value partisan loyalty to the White House above the most solemn responsibility each and every one of us has.”
Mr. Kerry made what Democrats — and some Republicans — said was a strong case for coordinated, international sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table. But with the deal signed by Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, those economic sanctions would be lifted whether Congress approved the deal or not. Mr. Kerry made what Democrats, and some Republicans, said was a strong case for coordinated international sanctions that brought Iran to the negotiating table. But with the deal signed by Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, those economic sanctions would be lifted whether Congress approved the deal or not.
Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota, countered that more stringent sanctions to deny companies and countries that do business with Iran access to the United States banking system could be imposed unilaterally.Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota, countered that more stringent sanctions to deny companies and countries that do business with Iran access to the United States banking system could be imposed unilaterally.
Lawmakers peppered the administration officials with questions on the wisdom of lifting sanctions and the effectiveness of verification procedures under the agreement.Lawmakers peppered the administration officials with questions on the wisdom of lifting sanctions and the effectiveness of verification procedures under the agreement.
“He truly believes this is a good deal, and I accept that,” said Representative Alan Lowenthal, a Jewish Democrat of California who is undecided. “Now, I have to get there.”“He truly believes this is a good deal, and I accept that,” said Representative Alan Lowenthal, a Jewish Democrat of California who is undecided. “Now, I have to get there.”
Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio, said that before the cabinet secretaries could make their case, Mr. Dermer, the Israeli envoy, met with dozens of House Republicans, using sports analogies to implore them to kill the deal. The ambassador detailed what Israel’s conservative government sees as the threat the deal poses.Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio, said that before the cabinet secretaries could make their case, Mr. Dermer, the Israeli envoy, met with dozens of House Republicans, using sports analogies to implore them to kill the deal. The ambassador detailed what Israel’s conservative government sees as the threat the deal poses.
“Congress is the last stop to avoid this, and if this Congress doesn’t shut down the president’s deal, then it paves the way for not just a nuclear Iran but for a very highly powered nuclear Iran,” Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, said the ambassador told them. “It changes the destiny of the world.”“Congress is the last stop to avoid this, and if this Congress doesn’t shut down the president’s deal, then it paves the way for not just a nuclear Iran but for a very highly powered nuclear Iran,” Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, said the ambassador told them. “It changes the destiny of the world.”
Mr. Dermer’s plea — which is widely expected to be followed by a mail, television and radio assault in Democratic districts during the August recess — demonstrates the power that the Israeli government and supportive interest groups in Washington maintain over Congressional Republicans. Mr. Dermer’s plea — which is widely expected to be followed by a mail, television and radio assault in Democratic districts during the August recess — demonstrates the power that the Israeli government and supportive interest groups in Washington maintain over congressional Republicans.
To overturn the agreement, opponents must muster not only a majority of the House and 60 senators to approve a resolution of disapproval, but they would have to convince two-thirds of the Senate to override a promised presidential veto. Two Democratic leaders, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader, and Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, are actively seeking enough Democratic support to sustain that veto. In New York, opponents of the accord organized a large protest in Times Square on Wednesday evening, drawing thousands of people to demand that Congress reject it.
To overturn the agreement, opponents would need not only to muster a majority of the House and 60 senators to approve a resolution of disapproval, but also to persuade two-thirds of the Senate to override a promised presidential veto. Two Democratic leaders — Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader, and Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat — are actively seeking enough Democratic support to sustain that veto.
“I know there’s tens of millions of dollars lined up against the agreement,” Ms. Pelosi said after the House briefing. “But I think members are getting a firm foundation as to what is in there and what the options are.”“I know there’s tens of millions of dollars lined up against the agreement,” Ms. Pelosi said after the House briefing. “But I think members are getting a firm foundation as to what is in there and what the options are.”
Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he spoke at length with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel just before the Iran deal was announced. But the ambassadors of the Western powers that signed on to the deal met with the committee’s leaders on Tuesday. Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he had spoken at length with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel just before the Iran deal was announced. But the ambassadors of the Western powers that signed on to the deal met with the committee’s leaders on Tuesday.
“If they’d like to give some advice or some facts from their point of view, that’s understandable, particularly when it involves the future of the state of Israel, but this should be a decision made by individual members of Congress,” Mr. Durbin said, appearing frustrated.“If they’d like to give some advice or some facts from their point of view, that’s understandable, particularly when it involves the future of the state of Israel, but this should be a decision made by individual members of Congress,” Mr. Durbin said, appearing frustrated.
Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, insisted they would: “We’re driving at this based solely on our own instincts,” he said.Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, insisted they would: “We’re driving at this based solely on our own instincts,” he said.
Most lawmakers praised the presentations as factual and forthright, although Representative Daniel Lipinski, Democrat of Illinois, indicated that Mr. Kerry had rubbed some members the wrong way.Most lawmakers praised the presentations as factual and forthright, although Representative Daniel Lipinski, Democrat of Illinois, indicated that Mr. Kerry had rubbed some members the wrong way.
“I would appreciate it if Secretary Kerry would show a little more respect to members of Congress,” he said.“I would appreciate it if Secretary Kerry would show a little more respect to members of Congress,” he said.
But Mr. Kerry also got to see first hand the array of issues driving lawmakers toward a resolution of disapproval. Representative Dan Kildee, Democrat of Michigan, said he pressed Mr. Kerry for the release of a constituent, Amir Hekmati, from an Iranian prison, where he has been held for nearly four years. Mr. Kildee said he would consider the nuclear deal on its merits, but Iran’s behavior with American prisoners would influence his thinking. But Mr. Kerry also got to see firsthand the array of issues driving lawmakers toward a resolution of disapproval. Representative Dan Kildee, Democrat of Michigan, said he had pressed Mr. Kerry for the release of a constituent, Amir Hekmati, from an Iranian prison, where he has been held for nearly four years. Mr. Kildee said that he would consider the nuclear deal on its merits, but that Iran’s behavior with American prisoners would influence his thinking.
And Republican lawmakers, while praising the tone of the presentations, had strong words for the content. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Republican presidential candidate, said Mr. Kerry’s argument that the deal would empower moderates in the Islamic Republic “a gross misunderstanding of Iran” and suggested that killing the deal would empower the next president — even if it were Hillary Rodham Clinton — and give the leverage to get a better deal. And Republican lawmakers, while praising the tone of the presentations, had strong words for the content. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Republican presidential candidate, said Mr. Kerry’s argument that the deal would empower Iranian moderates “a gross misunderstanding of Iran.” Senator John Thune of South Dakota, a senior Republican, expressed frustration with the argument that sanctions would collapse with or without the support of the United States.
Senator John Thune of South Dakota, a senior Republican, expressed frustration with the argument that sanctions would collapse with or without the support of the United States. But the fact is, the United Nations Security Council’s approval of the deal on Monday may have changed the equation, said Mr. Cardin, who had urged the president to delay the United Nations vote. “It’s not known what happens if Congress rejects the agreement,” Mr. Cardin said.
“They see this as a fait accompli,” he said.
But the fact is, the United Nations Security Council’s approval of the deal on Monday may have changed the equation, said Mr. Cardin, who had urged the president to delay the United Nations vote.
“It’s not known what happens if Congress rejects the agreement.” Mr. Cardin said.