Iranian leaders need to know that the Senate must approve any deal President Obama negotiates.
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| Senator Tom Cotton (Photo: Danny Johnston, AP) |
The critical role of Congress in the adoption of international
agreements was clearly laid out by our Founding Fathers in our
Constitution. And it's a principle upon which Democrats and Republicans
have largely agreed.
In fact, then-Sen. Joe Biden once reflected on this very topic, writing that
"the president and the Senate are partners in the process by which the
United States enters into, and adheres to, international obligations."
It's
not often I agree with former senator and now Vice President Biden, but
his words here are clear. The Senate must approve any deal President
Obama negotiates with Iran by a two-thirds majority vote.
Anything
less will not be considered a binding agreement when President Obama's
term expires in two years. This is true of any agreement, but in
particular with the nuclear deal President Obama intends to strike with
Iran.
Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the Obama
administration has so far completely bypassed Congress in its
negotiations with Iran.
The administration cares little about what
will win congressional approval — only complete nuclear disarmament —
and more about just reaching some sort of deal.
Regrettably, it
appears the deal President Obama is negotiating with Iran will not be a
good one. In fact, if reports are correct, it will be a bad one that
will ultimately allow Iran to continue its nuclear program and
ultimately develop a nuclear weapon.
That is why this week, I, along with 46 of my fellow senators,
wrote Iranian leaders to inform them of the role Congress plays in
approving their agreement. Our goal is simple: to stop Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon.
I do not take my obligations as a
senator lightly. Nor do those who are signatories to the letter. If the
president won't share our role in the process with his negotiating
partner, we won't hesitate to do it ourselves.
Our constituents
elected us to the Senate, in part, to protect them from bad agreements
like this and to help ensure their safety and security. And that is what
we intend to do.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is a member of the
Senate Armed Services Committee and the lead signatory to the open
letter to Iran's leaders.
