Political Quotes

“I rise to support the President's negotiations with the P5+1 and Iran and to speak about the tremendous work--especially at our national laboratories--to create a framework agreement that meets the scientific requirements to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. I also wish to express my support for the Corker-Menendez bill as passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Congress must have an oversight role; there is no doubt about that. While I do not believe this bill is necessary to have such a role, I do believe it is the best compromise to ensure a congressional oversight role without weakening the President's hand to continue critical negotiations. First, let's be clear, we all agree on one basic point: a nuclear- armed Iran is a serious threat. No one doubts this. No one questions the history of Iran's deception. That history is well documented and the danger is evident. This is the greatest nuclear nonproliferation challenge of our time. It is of tremendous import to our Nation, to the Middle East region, and to our ally, Israel. It is a challenge we must meet. We do not disagree on the danger; we disagree on the response. The Corker-Menendez bill is truly bipartisan. It passed the Foreign Relations Committee on which I am proud to serve unanimously. I wish to thank Chairman Corker and Ranking Member Cardin for their leadership and all of their hard work to find a compromise solution. This is a solid bill.…”