Senate Democrats to Hold Off on New Iran Bill

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, co-sponsor of legislation that would tighten sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, said today he and other Democratic senators would not vote for the passage of the bill until a 24 March deadline for reaching a framework agreement between Iran and world powers. President Obama has said voting for the legislation at this time could upset talks now under way with Iran, and pledged he would veto it.

Menendez said he and his Democratic colleagues have sent a letter to the president telling him they will not support passage of the Kirk-Menendez bill on Senate floor “until after March 24 and only if there is no political framework agreement.” (HuffPost, 27 January)

File photo: U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ); April 2014 (Drew Angerer/Getty Images/HuffPost)