Boxer, Paul work together on Iran bill Their proposal would offer an alternative to a sanctions bill gaining steam in Congress.

How’s this for a political odd couple? Liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer and conservative Sen. Rand Paul working together on foreign policy.

The retiring Boxer (D-Calif.) and possible presidential contender Paul (R-Ky.) are teaming up to create a “moderate proposal” on Iran sanctions, Boxer said Wednesday morning. They aim to offer an alternative to bipartisan legislation that is gaining steam that would impose new economic penalties on Iran if Western nations fail to strike an agreement on winding down Tehran’s nuclear program. Those sanctions would begin taking effect in July.


Boxer said the sanctions proposal, written by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), would not “strengthen us at all” as negotiations continue with Iran. Paul, whose foreign policy style is less interventionist than that of many Republicans, did not co-sponsor similar bipartisan legislation when it was introduced last year, making him one of just two GOP senators to hold off on endorsing that bill.

“We’re all here with the same goal: to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” Boxer said. “I have a concern that reaches across party lines that some colleagues are pushing to enact new sanctions while our negotiators are still at the table.”

Boxer said she and Paul are working on legislation that seeks to allow quick votes by Congress to reinstate some sanctions if the Obama administration finds that Iran has violated any nuclear agreement. Some of those sanctions have been loosened by an interim deal.

“Sen. Paul and I are putting the final touches on this bill. We think it’s a moderate proposal,” Boxer said during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. “We’re very excited.”

An aide to Paul said no specific details on the proposal are available yet, but added: “It’s not out of character for Sen. Paul to work across the aisle.”

President Barack Obama warned Congress on Tuesday night that he will veto any legislation that would impose new sanctions on Iran, even conditional bills like the Kirk-Menendez legislation. The Senate Banking Committee is preparing to vote on that bill next week, while Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) prepares a bill on a separate track that would require Congress to approve — or reject — any deal with Iran.