Senator’s Marco Rubio (FL-R) and Tom Cotton (AK-R) threw a monkey wrench into the debate over the Iran bill per CNN. The two senators insist they get votes on their amendments to toughen the legislation.

Their effort is seen as an attempt to doom the Iran bill altogether and Republican leaders have scrambled to find a path forward to preserve it.

The move is very smart because they are seen as “poison pill” amendments that would drastically alter the bill and ultimately lead to a presidential veto. If that is what happens, Congress would be cut out of any role in approving the still emerging agreement with Iran.

A frustrated Senator Cotton said on the floor:

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I have said time and time again, the Senate needs to vote to the merits of the agreement. We have been consistently blocked from bringing up these amendments for votes.

With that being said he exploited a procedural loophole that could force votes on a amendment he is proposing which is related to Iran’s nuclear facilities as well as an amendment from Sen. Marco Rubio that would make a nuclear deal contingent on Iran acknowledging Israel’s right to exist.

Both senators are insisting the amendments should be approved on a simple majority vote instead of the average 60 votes. This means it would be much easier for them to pass.

Cotton has denied the amendments are “poison pills.” He said they are are “vitamin pills” designed to strengthen not only the legislation but the United States’ negotiating position as well.

Cotton also said Senators are afraid to take on tough votes:

If you don’t want to vote, you shouldn’t have come to the Senate. If you’re in the Senate and you don’t want to vote, you should leave.

Bill managers recognized what their junior colleagues were doing and they were stunned.

Senator Bob Corker (TN-R) said:

I sense the context of this debate has just changed.

Whereas Senator Ben Cardin (MD-D) said:

That’s every member’s right to take whatever action they want to take, but I want to tell you, those of us who want to get this bill to the finish line, it gets a little frustrating.

Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was forced to end debate on the Iran bill altogether and forgo any more votes on amendments, including Cotton and Rubio’s proposals. By doing so he runs the risk of upsetting Republican senators who have a long list of amendments, 67 so far that they also want to vote on. If McConnell cannot get the 60 votes he needs to end debate the bill may be doomed.