Democrats in the Senate have guaranteed a victory for President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy achievement, creating a firewall of support for an agreement aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., on Wednesday became the 34th member of the caucus to support the deal struck in July between Iran and the U.S., China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. The pact aims to curb Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from crippling international economic sanctions.





“No deal is perfect, especially one negotiated with the Iranian regime,” Mikulski wrote in a statement Wednesday. “I have concluded that this Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the best option available to block Iran from having a nuclear bomb. For these reasons, I will vote in favor of this deal. However, Congress must also reaffirm our commitment to the safety and security of Israel.”

Because Republicans, who hold majorities in both the House and Senate, are in nearly unanimous opposition to the agreement, the White House has worked to win over skeptical Democrats to ensure Congress can’t block it.

Both chambers have been expected to vote on resolutions of disapproval upon return from August recess this month. If the resolution of disapproval passes, the 34 senators in favor of the deal guarantee that the Senate cannot get to the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto. In the House, at least 44 Democrats would have to join with Republicans for a veto override, but without a path forward in the Senate, the vote would just be for show.

The Obama administration has grown more confident in recent weeks as the number of lawmakers supporting the deal grew steadily throughout August. While even some Democrats have acknowledged flaws in the agreement – such as its failure to address Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism or its limitations on inspections of undeclared or military sites – most have agreed the value of the deal outweighs any alternatives.

"Thirty-four votes are obviously enough votes for the president's veto to be upheld," Secretary of State John Kerry said on CNN Wednesday. "That is not satisfactory for us. We do want to try to go further. We'll continue to persuade."

Republicans, however, slammed the development Wednesday.

"Forcing a bad deal, over the objections of the American people and a majority in Congress, is no win for President Obama," said Cory Fritz, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. "The White House may have convinced just enough Democrats to back an agreement that legitimizes Iran's nuclear program, trusts the regime to self-inspect and offers amnesty to terrorists, but this deal is far from being implemented."

"When I'm president, we won't just reverse President Obama's dangerous Iran deal. We will increase sanctions on Iran," Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said on Twitter.

Some Republicans have proposed new economic sanctions that they hope would force Tehran to back out of its side of the deal, but such legislation would face similar, likely insurmountable, hurdles.

For its part, the White House would prefer to have the support of at least 41 of the 46 members of the Senate Democratic caucus. That would mean members could block the resolution of disapproval from coming to a vote in the first place and spare Obama the need to break out the veto pen.

With just 10 Senate Democrats undeclared, only two have decided to oppose the deal: Chuck Schumer of New York and Bob Menendez of New Jersey.



