On the recordSeptember 9, 2015
first of all, I wish to thank our leader and I wish to thank Senator Reid for allowing us to come to this vote without a motion to proceed so we can begin this debate in a sober and responsible manner. I thank the leader. I know many Members on the other side of the aisle were concerned about maybe nefarious amendments being a part of this debate on the front end. I thank you for the way you set up this procedure so that we are focused only on the resolution of disapproval. That is something I know the other side had wanted, and I appreciate your setting it up in that manner. I also thank Senator Cardin. I thank him for being such a tremendous partner on the committee. I thank him for his diligence in making what I know was a tough decision on the substance. I truly appreciate his ability and the way he worked with us to ensure that we have this debate and this opportunity to vote. Let me step back and refresh people's memory. I know there has been a lot of discussion, and there are some who purposefully try to confuse what is happening here. But the fact is that the President decided long ago that he was not going to pursue a treaty. He instead was going to pursue what is called a nonbinding political commitment, and he was going to go directly to the U.N. Security Council for approval. As a matter of fact, he has already done that. In the course of discussions, we realized, just as the leader mentioned, it was actually we who brought Iran to the table.…
Source
govinfo.gov




