Harry Reid backs Iran nuclear deal
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada announced his support for the Iran nuclear deal Sunday and promised to do "everything in my power to ensure that it stands."
"One of the most important national security challenges of our generation is stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, a goal that is critical to the national security of the United States, the State of Israel and the world. After years of study and months of careful review of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and its predecessor agreement, I support this agreement because I believe it is the best path to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon," Reid said in a statement.
Reid had pledged a thoughtful review process when the deal was unveiled in full in July but didn't announce his full support until he gave an interview with the Washington Post Sunday. Later, he sent out a lengthy statement detailing the reasons he supports the agreement. He is the 27th Democrat to publicly announce support.
Since the congressional recess began earlier this August, two high-profile Democrats - New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez - have said they will vote against the deal. Schumer, who is expected to succeed Reid as the Senate Democratic leader when Reid retires in 2016, issued a short statement when most public attention was focused on the first Republican debate. Menendez issued a nearly hour-long speech in New Jersey last week, detailing each component of the deal that concerns him.
In the interview with the Post, Reid characterized Schumer's vote as a "vote of conscience" and predicted that his fellow Democrats would support him even though he is in the minority with his opposition.
"We don't disagree on much, but we disagree on this," he said of Schumer and the concern he shares with the deal's opponents that international inspectors do not have sufficient access to Iranian nuclear sites.
Reid said he has supported the deal for several weeks but wanted to discuss it with his supporters back in Nevada during the Congressional recess. One Nevada resident, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, has bankrolled some of the lobbying efforts against the deal. Reid declined to share details of the conversation with Adelson.
But he did address the concerns voiced by some of the deal's opponents, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that it will allow Iran to threaten Israel's existence.
"A nuclear-armed Iran would pose the gravest imaginable threat to Israel. If America walks away from this agreement and loses the support of our allies in the sanctions regime, Iran could have enough fissile material to make a nuclear bomb in a matter of months," Reid said. "Iranian leaders have regularly stated that they intend to wipe Israel off the map and I believe those threats should be taken with the utmost seriousness. This agreement is the best way to prevent Iran's leaders from obtaining the nuclear weapons that would empower them to follow through on their threats to Israel."
The White House needs the support of 34 Senate Democrats to ensure that the Iran deal stays in place if Congress tries to block President Obama from lifting sanctions and he issues a veto. Nearly all Republicans have spoken out opposing the deal.
There are 17 Democrats who have not yet announced their position, and Reid told the Post he is "cautiously optimistic" that he can get enough support to prevent Congress from overriding the veto.
Lawmakers will have to vote on the deal by Sept. 17.