WASHINGTON: The US Senate easily passed legislation Thursday giving Congress the right to review and possibly reject any final nuclear deal with Iran, after the bill overcame fierce initial objections from President Barack Obama.
The measure, amid intense negotiations between world powers and Iran on a deal intended to prevent Tehran's development of a nuclear weapon in exchange for lifting economic sanctions, passed 98-1, belying the weeks of impassioned debate over how to hold Iran to account.
The move gives lawmakers at least 30 days to review any accord finalized between six world powers and Iran.
It also prevents Obama from easing economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic during the review period, and compels him to assert to Congress every 90 days that Iran is complying with the accord.
Lawmakers have the ability to support or oppose the nuclear accord by voting for or against lifting congressionally imposed sanctions on Iran. Or Congress could do nothing.
The review measure now heads to the House of Representatives, where it has support of the chamber's Republican leaders.
"Our goal is to stop a bad agreement that could pave the way to a nuclear-armed Iran (and) set off a regional nuclear arms race," said House Speaker John Boehner, in applauding the bill's passage by the Senate.
"I look forward to House passage of this bill to hold President Obama's administration accountable."
Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, the chief co-sponsor of the bill along with Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker, said it was imperative that Congress assert its role as overseer of the accord to ensure Washington gets the best deal possible.
"Sanctions relief is not a given and it is not a prize for signing on the dotted line," Menendez said.
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