Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY-R) failed to make good on his promise that all amendments will be allowed to be considered in the Senate.
Last week Marco Rubio (FL-R) and Tom Cotton (AK-R) challenged McConnell’s promise by bringing it to the attention of the Senate that amendments in regards to the Iran bill have not been considered and voted on. Rubio and Cotton knew if they shifted the Senate’s attention to the amendments the Iran bill could very well be in jeopardy.McConnell crushed that effort on Tuesday by making a move that will not allow any Senator to vote on an amendment to the Iran deal.
Why did he do that? He wants to pass the bill and move on to fast-track trade legislation. He has stated in the past the two measures could be the biggest accomplishments of the 114th Congress per The Hill.
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By denying Cotton and Rubio’s amendments, McConnell is also denying to recognize Israel has the right to exist. A move that does not look very good for the Senator.
It is said McConnell attempted to make a deal with other senators on amendments but it was impossible.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (TN-R) said:There wasn’t a deal. Mitch really doesn’t have a choice, I mean we’ve kind of got to finish. . . If we’re going to pass the bill, we need to get on with it. You know, we’ve got other business that we want to move to.
Even Democrats have lampooned McConnell for backpedaling on his promise to colleagues to vote on amendments but McConnell has one unlikely cheerleader, Harry Reid. Reid’s spokesman, Adam Jentleson released the following statement in support of McConnell:
We sympathize with Senator McConnell’s position. Just like Senator Reid, Senator McConnell was forced to file cloture because Republican senators took advantage of the Senate’s rules to pull procedural stunts aimed at derailing a bipartisan compromise and in effect, shut down the amendment process.
Some find it not only alarming but ironic when Republican’s finally gained control of the Senate their chosen leader is getting support from the liberal side of the aisle.
