Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), a freshman lawmaker from New Jersey, is the latest Democratic member of Congress to oppose the Iran nuclear agreement.
Norcross came out against the deal late Tuesday, the same day fellow Democrat and New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez came out against the agreement.
{mosads}”The Iranian regime is a known sponsor of terrorism that has made no secret of its hatred for both the United States and Israel,” Norcross said in a lengthy explanation at the Congregation Sons of Israel in Cherry Hill, N.J.
“Providing relief for them by lifting economic sanctions now essentially rewards past behavior and infuses billions of dollars into the their economy that could be used to buy more weapons and outsource more terror,” he said.
“Moreover, the deal does not provide enough assurance that Iran will be restricted from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons. So this windfall may ultimately help fund their nuclear ambitions,” he added.
Norcross’s opposition brings the number of Democrats opposing the deal to 12, according to The Hill’s whip list.
“There’s a general concern about this agreement and what effect it might have on the security of the United States, Israel, and the whole world, and that’s why they’re coming out here, to show their concern and to learn more about it,” Mark Hess, an organizer of the event where Norcross spoke, told CBS.
A Democratic challenger to Norcross, Alex Law, blasted Norcross’s announcement.
“As I have said for weeks, as a member of the Jewish community and a candidate for United States Congress, I stand with the president and most Democrats in supporting diplomacy and the Iran deal,” he said.
“I am saddened by my opponent Donald Norcross’s decision to make camp with the Republicans and go against this deal. Yet again, Mr. Norcross votes against his constituents and with the conservatives. This region deserves better.”
A representative for New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker told CBS that Booker is still studying the deal.
Congress is expected to vote on the deal in September. Republicans plan to introduce a resolution of disapproval of the nuclear deal, which, if passed, would prevent the president from being able to lift U.S. sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits to its nuclear program.
The president is expected to veto that resolution, which could only be overridden with two-thirds of Congress.
Norcross was one of the freshman lawmakers to travel to Israel this month, according to the Burlington County Times, to meet with Israeli officials.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a vocal critic of the deal, has urged lawmakers to vote against it.