The Hill – April 29, 2015 – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that a naval showdown with Iran on Tuesday “underlines the danger posed” by that country.
“Yesterday we were reminded yet again of Iran’s determination to use every element of national power to expand its sphere of influence and undermine international law,” he said. “What we saw in the Strait of Hormuz simply underlines the danger posed by Iran along with a pressing need for a clear-eyed understanding of the Iranian threat.”
Iranian navy ships on Tuesday advanced on a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel, the Maersk Tigris, in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians fired shots across the ship’s bridge and boarded it when it refused to pull farther into Iranian waters.
The incident comes as the Senate is debating a proposal that would allow lawmakers to weigh in on any final deal over Iran’s nuclear program. Republicans, worried that the current legislation doesn’t go far enough, want to include Israel’s right to exist and Iran’s support of terrorism in a final deal.
Republicans have filed approximately 60 amendments to the legislation. McConnell said lawmakers should work with Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) to schedule votes. The two senators are the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“I encourage members to come to the floor, offer amendments and work with the floor managers to schedule votes,” McConnell said. “We voted on one amendment to this bipartisan bill. I am sure we’ll take votes on several more significant amendments before the week is up.”
Senators defeated a Republican push Tuesday evening to consider the Iran nuclear deal as a treaty.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he was “grateful” for Tuesday’s work on the legislation.
“I am grateful for the work done yesterday,” he said. “I would suggest that everyone is concerned about amendments they should come and talk to the two managers. …We know there are difficult issues with this bill.”.