Senate Democrats Block Resolution against Iran Nuke Pact

With 42 votes against the resolution and 58 for it, the Democrats managed to deal a decisive blow to the conservative attempt to upset the accord, although Republicans said they will try to do so again next week, possibly using a resolution with the very same text.

Thursday’s vote, however, means that President Barack Obama will not have to resort to a presidential veto of the legislation and go through a weeks-long battle with the GOP-controlled Congress over the accord.

Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the upper house, said before the vote that the resolution only had the support of four of the 46 Senate Democrats, but he promised that more votes on similar resolutions would be held and there would be a chance for those who voted against the measure to change their minds after their constituents make their own opinions known to lawmakers.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the Democratic blocking of the resolution a “tragedy,” and he suggested that the opposition would pay a political price for it.

The White House has been fighting a tough campaign in the legislative branch to convince lawmakers to support the pact reached last summer among the six world powers of the G5+1 group – the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France and Germany – and Iran to prevent the latter from being able to acquire a nuclear weapon.

Lawmakers have until Sept. 17 to evaluate the contents of the accord, but Obama has already warned that he will use his veto if Congress passes any legislation designed to scotch the deal.