Durbin locking down votes on Israel amendment
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Wednesday that he’s still locking down votes on a controversial amendment to a resolution on the Iran deal ahead of Thursday’s vote.
“The whip count is coming back favorably,” he said. “We haven’t completed it.”
Asked if he thought Democrats would be able to block the amendment, he added that while his vote count is “good,” it isn’t finalized, “so I can’t tell you with any degree of certainty.”
The Senate is expected to take a procedural vote Thursday on an amendment to the resolution of disapproval from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The Kentucky Republican wants to ban President Obama from lifting sanctions against Iran until Tehran publicly recognizes Israel’s right to exist and releases Americans currently held in the country.
{mosads}While the vote could be politically tough for Democrats, who have stressed their support for Israel while also backing the Iran nuclear deal, Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) suggested earlier Wednesday that he would have the votes to block it.
“If the Republican leader has his way, all the Senate will do for the rest of this week is take yet another failed vote on Iran,” the Democratic leader said.
Democrats will pick up at least two new votes in their quest to keep Republicans from getting the 60 votes needed to move forward with the amendment: Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.)
Schumer and Cardin were two of the four Senate Democrats who support the Iran deal, but aides to both senators confirmed that they would vote “no” on cloture for McConnell’s amendment.
The maneuver could give more cover to Democrats who are concerned about any political fallout on the vote.
Schumer, who is expected to be the next Democratic leader, has drawn strong pushback from liberal and progressive outside groups for his opposition to the Iran deal.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Cardin, who is the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, added while he doesn’t support moving forward with McConnell’s amendment, he’s still in favor of the resolution of disapproval on the Iran deal.
Spokespersons for Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), both of whom support the resolution of disapproval, said the senators are undecided on how they’ll vote on McConnell’s amendment.
Senate Democrats have slammed McConnell for forcing the vote on his amendment. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who has a constituent currently being held in the country, accused the Republican leader of “playing politics” with American hostages.
Meanwhile, Durbin added that McConnell’s strategy could be “risky” and that Democrats “see right through it.”
This story was updated at 5:20 p.m.
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