Debbie Stabenow Monday became the 28th Senate Democrat to support the Iran nuclear agreement.
Over the weekend Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid
joined the slow but steady accumulation of senators and representatives who have declared their support for the nuclear agreement with Iran. On Monday, Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
did the same. That brings the total count of Senate supporters to 28, according to The Hill. If six more senators add their own names to the list of backers, there will be no way the mostly Republican opposition can override a presidential veto of any resolution of disapproval rejecting the agreement.
Under the Nuclear Agreement Review Act passed in the spring, Congress has until Sept. 17 to assess the pact that would curtail Iran's nuclear program in exchange for removing U.N. and U.S. economic sanctions related to that program. Iran maintains it is solely for peaceful purposes, noting that the nation's supreme leader has issued a fatwa against building or possessing nuclear weapons. Critics claim Tehran seeks to build a nuclear bomb or at least build an infrastructure that could be used to produce such a bomb quickly if it wanted to do so.
Said Reid in his statement:
“This nuclear agreement is consistent with the greatest traditions of American leadership. I will do everything in my power to support this agreement and ensure that America holds up our end of the commitment we have made to our allies and the world to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. I will vote no on the resolution of disapproval and urge my colleagues to do the same.
“Ensuring Israel’s security is of the utmost importance to me. I support this deal because I believe it is the best option to halt any Iranian nuclear weapons program and therefore to protect the State of Israel. Over my four decades in Congress, my support for the safety and security of the Israeli people has been at the core of my views on the Middle East. From the Bonds for Israel dinners I attended 50 years ago to the history of my wife’s family, my relationship with the State of Israel and the Jewish people has always been personal.
Stabenow said:
"I have had extensive classified and unclassified briefings, extensive discussions with our U.S. negotiators and leaders from every country involved in negotiating this agreement. I have met with leaders representing the current Israeli government as well as former military and civilian Israeli leaders. And, I have heard from so many people in Michigan, with passionate feelings on both sides of this critical issue.
"I have determined that the imminent threat of Iran having a nuclear weapon outweighs any flaws I see in the international agreement. For this reason, I must support the agreement.
"For me, the decision comes down to this: without this international agreement, Iran will have enough nuclear material for a weapon in three months. With this agreement, and the international coalition committed to it, we have the opportunity to stop Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon, certainly for at least 25 years.
There is more below the fold.
In addition to the 28 Democratic senators and independents who have announced support for the agreement and two who oppose it, The Hill's Senate whip count counts four Democrats as leaning yes and 12 in the undecided/unclear category. At least three senators of the latter seem almost certain to support the agreement: Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. If just six of these seven come out in support of the agreement, a veto override becomes impossible. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already all but conceded that Senate Democrats could sustain any veto.
The question now for many grassroots activists lobbying in support of the agreement is whether 13 of the 16 Democrats who have not yet declared a position will choose to support it. If they do, that would give Reid the necessary votes to filibuster any resolution of disapproval and it would never get to the president's desk.
The Hill's whip count says there are 60 House Democrats who have declared in favor of the agreement, 15 leaning yes, 12 opposed, three leaning no and 98 undecided, with the rest unknown. In order to override a veto, the 246 House Republicans, none of whom has declared support for the agreement or is likely to, would need 44 Democrats to join them. It appears the best they are likely to get is 41. And the total could actually be far from that.