Sen. Claire McCaskill insisted Sunday that Sen. Chuck Schumer’s notable decision to oppose the nuclear deal with Iran hasn’t placed pressure on fellow Democrats to follow suit, as Congress readies to weigh in on the pact when it returns to Washington next month.
“I don’t think any of [us] feel pressure, either by Chuck Schumer’s rejection of this deal or the president’s full-throated support of this deal,” the Missouri Democrat told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
Congressional GOP leaders said they will hold votes in the House and the Senate next month on resolutions to disapprove of the deal, setting up a dramatic showdown as the White House tries to corral support.
Under the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act passed earlier this year, Congress has a certain amount of time to consider the agreement Mr. Obama and other world leaders struck with Iran. If Congress disapproves, the president has a chance to veto it and then try to survive an override attempt on Capitol Hill.
That means opponents of the deal have to muster a two-thirds majority.
Ms. McCaskill said the GOP side demanded 60 days to review the deal, yet “it appeared to me that most of them made their mind up in about five minutes.”
Mr. Schumer, a New Yorker who is Jewish, is the most prominent Democrat to oppose the deal.
Rep. Steve Israel, the highest-ranking Jewish Democrat in the House, and Rep. Nita M. Lowey, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, also have announced their opposition.
Ms. McCaskill said its up to each lawmaker to put his or her “blinders on” and review the deal on its merits.
“I hope that all of my colleagues are doing what I’m doing, and that is doing our homework,” she said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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