Chairman: Congress ‘clearly sidelined’ in Iran talks

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) suggested that the Obama administration’s potential willingness to sidetrack Congress in a deal with Iran over its nuclear arsenal would be a sign of a bad agreement.

A senior administration official told The New York Times in a story published Monday that the White House would not seek a vote from Congress on any nuclear deal with Iran. Royce said that avoiding Congress would signal a weak negotiation.

{mosads}”It’s tough to see a solid agreement when Congress – which was critical to putting in the strong sanctions that got negotiators to this point – is so clearly sidelined,” Royce said.

White House spokesman Eric Schultz denied that the administration was keeping Congress out of the loop.

“This is an issue where we talk to Congress intensively,” Schultz said. “We will continue to consult with Congress heavily.”