Corker believes his Iran bill has veto-proof majority

Senator Bob Corker (R-Tn) believes that his bill requiring Congress to vote up or down on any agreement that President Hussein Obama makes with Iran has a veto-proof majority.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said Monday he's confident his bill to restrict President Barack Obama's ability to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran can survive a threatened presidential veto.

"Look, I don’t ever want to overcommit and under-deliver,” Corker told reporters Monday evening. “We are moving in a very positive direction, and we’ve worked through some issues that I think have given me a lot of hope. ... I think that this weekend has been very productive.”

Corker's bill, scheduled for markup in the Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday afternoon, would grant Congress the final vote on any nuclear agreement the U.S. and its five negotiating partners reach with Iran. Congress would have two months to review the deal, and during that time the president would be prevented from easing economic sanctions on Iran.

“It’s really a resolution of disapproval,” Corker said of the nuclear talks, which face a June 30 deadline.

The bill is roughly three votes short of the 67 needed to override a veto. However, members of the committee have filed at least 52 amendments to the legislative text, meaning that the results of the markup may drastically alter the vote count in either direction. 

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Corker ultimately decides which amendments to put up for a committee vote. On Monday, he seemed unlikely to consider those that would significantly alter his original text.

“I feel like were going to present a bill tomorrow that keeps 100 percent of the integrity of the process relevant to the nuclear agreement in place,” Corker said, emphasizing the need for Congress to vote on the agreement and to postpone sanctions relief.

At the same time, Corker acknowledged the need to woo Democrats, including those hesitant to support to a bill the White House insists will sabotage peaceful nuclear negotiations.

 Hmmm.