Senate

McConnell tees up Iran sanctions extension

by Jordain Carney - 11/29/16 11:18 AM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is fast-tracking an extension of key Iran sanctions as the Senate begins to wrap up its work for the year.

“This week, senators will have a chance to pass the Iran sanctions extension bill that recently passed the House on an overwhelming vote,” McConnell said. “Preserving the sanctions is critical given Iran’s disturbing pattern of aggression and its persistent efforts to expand its influence across the Middle East.”

{mosads}The Kentucky Republican is using a procedural shortcut, known as “Rule 14”, to place the House-passed bill on the Senate calendar, paving the way for it to be brought up for a vote. As part of an agreement, senators will vote on the legislation at a time determined by McConnell and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

The House passed a 10-year extension of the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), which is set expire at the end of the year, earlier this month in a 419-1 vote.

Senate Republicans had initially hoped to pass an ISA extension as part of a broader bill of new sanctions on Iran amid lingering fallout over the Iran nuclear agreement and a string of ballistic missile tests. But they got pushback from Democrats, whose support they would need to pass the broader legislation. Top Democrats, including Reid and next Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.), signaled earlier this year they prefer a “clean” extension.

McConnell added Tuesday he expects Congress and the Trump administration next year to “undertake a review of our overall policy toward Iran.”

Senate Republicans remain critical of the Obama White House’s Iran nuclear agreement, which every GOP lawmaker voted against. But Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, floated earlier this month that Donald Trump wouldn’t rip up the deal, which he repeatedly lambasted on the campaign trail.

“I think what he should do is build consensus with these other countries that [Iran is] definitely violating the agreement,” Corker told CNN’s “The Lead.” “He’s going to have Congress with him on that. I think that’s a much better approach.”

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, warned last week that extending the ISA would constitute a violation of the nuclear deal.

Tags Bob Corker Chuck Schumer Donald Trump Harry Reid Mitch McConnell