Israel Matzav

Senate passes the bill 98-1

By an overwhelming 98-1 margin the Senate has passed a bill which purports to give Congress a say on President Hussein Obama's proposed nuclear deal with Iran (Hat Tip: Memeorandum).

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) was the only senator to oppose the bill. He said in a statement that he objected that the deal was not to be presented to the Congress as a treaty.

"A nuclear-arms agreement with any adversary—especially the terror-sponsoring, Islamist Iranian regime—should be submitted as a treaty and obtain a two-thirds majority vote in the Senate as required by the Constitution," he said. 

Cotton is right of course. But I'm afraid he's closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.

The Senate bill would require a competed deal to be submitted to Congress, which could then vote to approve or disapprove the nuclear deal within 30 days. Sanctions on Iran could not be lifted during this consideration.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), after the vote, suggested that passage of the bill allows Congress to take "power back" from President Obama. He also said it ensures the Congress will play "an appropriate role" in the nuclear talks. 

Passage of the legislation clears the way for U.S. negotiators to continue to work on a nuclear deal with Iran ahead of a June 30 deadline with little fear of interference from Congress. Negotiators reached a framework agreement in April. 

A vote to disapprove a nuclear deal with Iran would not kill it. President Obama could veto such a measure, and the House and Senate would then need two-thirds majorities to override his veto.

The founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves. They thought they had set out a procedure that ensured a real balance of powers. Now, the United States has become a dictatorship with Senate approval.

The power play that is behind this bill is nothing short of astounding. And you thought the Israeli Knesset was the only deliberative body in the world that was powerless?

Read the whole thing.

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Bob Corker, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, United States Senate

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:52 PM