On the recordJuly 14, 2016
I always prefer to work things out with the ranking member. Working together, we put three bipartisan bills on the President's desk this last week alone. In this Congress, Mr. Engel and I, working together on the Foreign Affairs Committee, have seen some 14 bills signed into law. So he is right, this isn't the norm. Earlier this year, there were intense discussions with the minority on legislation to push back on Iran's missile program. I compromised more than I wanted, inserting a waiver. We were close, but at the end of the day, it became clear that the White House would aggressively fight any legislation with the words ``Iran'' written on it. For the White House, it is accommodation of Iran at all costs, and that includes essentially giving the Supreme Leader the veto pen over steps Congress might press the administration to take. So on this, we are stuck. Until the Democratic leadership is ready to look past this President's legacy, I imagine we will be stuck. Lastly, I would note that these pieces of legislation are tightly focused on Iran's behavior outside of the nuclear agreement. That is the point. Whether one was for the agreement or against the agreement, these are outside of the nuclear agreement. {time} 1030 These bills do not undo or kill the Iran deal but, instead, press back on the administration's promises when campaigning for their deal.…
