AP, Washington, 4 August 2015
House Republicans said Monday that they have the GOP votes to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal as Democrats intensified their support of the agreement the Obama administration and other world powers negotiated with Tehran.
Since Republicans hold a commanding 246 seats in the House, it was widely expected that the GOP would come up with 218 votes to support a resolution of disapproval, which has been introduced by Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill.
“Time is not the friend of this deal,” Roskam said in a statement. “The more time members spend evaluating this agreement, the more they realize it’s an historic mistake.”
Congress is engaged in a 60-day review of the deal.
Crucial to the administration is New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Jewish Democrat widely expected to be the next party leader in the Senate. Schumer, who hasn’t disclosed his stance on the deal, has faced intense lobbying from both sides, including the powerful pro-Israel lobby American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
“This is such an important decision that I will not let pressure, politics or party influence (me),” Schumer said Monday at a news conference in New York on gun control.
Schumer said he has received about 20 briefings, including two classified sessions.
“This is one of the most important decisions that I’ll make, that any senator or congressman will make, and so I’m studying it really seriously,” he told reporters.
Another New York Democrat, freshman Rep. Kathleen Rice, said Monday she opposes the deal.