The most vehement congressional critics of the recent Iran nuclear deal say lawmakers who vote to support the pact should be prepared to face the consequences at the polls next November, The Hill reported on Tuesday, April 25th citing Rep. Mike Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas.
“I am convinced that one should vote against this deal because it’s the wrong thing, because it’s absolutely bad for American national security,” Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) said on Monday.
“But the American people will also, as they most often do, reward elected officials who do the right thing,” he added. “I think they’ll do the same thing here.”
“Even if it’s the case that we’re not able to override the president’s veto … I still think it’s very, very important for every member of Congress to put their marker down on this,” said Pompeo, who has become one of the most passionate opponents of the deal in the House.
The remarks from Pompeo make clear that critics of the agreement are going to use the congressional vote as leverage in future fights — even if they can’t ultimately block it from going forward.
“I do think the more members of Congress who put their marker down on the side for protecting American national security, the more likely it is that the next president — whoever that might be — has the capacity to undo what will at best be an administration that took a deeply minority position in an attempt to placate the mullahs,” Pompeo said on Monday.
“There should be no free passes on this.”
If lawmakers like Pompeo are stymied from blocking the agreement with Iran, multiple lawmakers have said that they will quickly turn to extending sanctions on Iran.
Earlier this year, Sens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) introduced a bill to renew expiring sanctions for another 10 years. Any efforts to impose new sanctions would likely mirror that bill, Pompeo said.