Cabinet secretazries on Capitol Hill to sell Iran deal
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration’s vigorous effort to sell the Iran nuclear deal to Congress continues – this time in the House where three Cabinet secretaries will face tough questioning on Tuesday from skeptical Democrats and Republicans.
California Rep. Ed Royce, the GOP chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Monday that the agreement has “several shortcomings.”
The ranking Democrat, Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, said he has “serious questions and concerns about this deal.”
Secretary of State John Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew’s testimony before the committee will be a reprise of the threesome’s appearance last week before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The U.S. and five other world powers reached an agreement earlier this month with Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief. Congress has 60 days to review it, vote to approve or disapprove of the deal, or take no action.
Those for and against the international agreement are engaged in a verbal battle to lobby lawmakers. As the Cabinet secretaries testify, members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobby, will be dispatching hundreds of its members to Capitol Hill to convince lawmakers to disapprove of the deal. AIPAC’s view tracks statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who staunchly opposes the deal with Iran, which has threatened to annihilate his nation.