Obama secures last vote needed to assure Iran deal
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., the longest-serving woman in the history of Congress, became the crucial 34th vote in support of the Iran nuclear deal on Wednesday morning.
Reporting from Washington — A key Democratic lawmaker on Wednesday became the 34th senator to announce support for the proposed Iran nuclear deal, providing the White House the firewall it needs against Republican efforts to kill the agreement.
Backing from Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland delivered a victory for the White House as lawmakers return to Washington next week and prepare to vote on the deal, which would curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions in return for a lifting of economic sanctions.
Mikulski she was backing the agreement despite its shortcomings because it was “the best option available to block Iran from having a nuclear bomb.”
Congress is expected to vote on a resolution of disapproval by Sept. 17, and pro-and-con stands on the increasingly polarizing issue have largely broken along partisan lines.
Though the Republican majority in the House is expected to easily approve the resolution opposing the deal, the White House is now stepping up efforts to block it from passing the Senate.
But the resolution is now poised to fail because even if Congress sends it to the president’s desk, Obama plans to veto it and there are enough backers in the Senate to prevent the two-thirds threshold needed for a veto override.
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