The bill, known as the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act (or Menendez-Kirk), would increase sanctions against Iran in the event negotiations fail. The plan would also attempt to create terms for a final agreement, including complete termination of Iran's nuclear enrichment. Additionally, the bill urges US assistance in the event Israel decides to take military action against Tehran. All in all, an initiative that threatens the current diplomatic progress.
The proposal has strong GOP support and is very much favored by the major Israel lobby AIPAC. Hardline clerics in Tehran hoping diplomacy fails can also be counted among those who might be on board. Statist hawks are the same regardless of flag.
The American people, however, are not counted among the supportive. According to Politico:
Offered a choice between two congressional approaches to the Iran deal, 68 percent of voters said they would prefer to see Congress "closely monitor" the implementation without taking "any action that would block the agreement."
Critics of the bill have correctly pointed out that passing new sanctions legislation during negotiations violates the interim agreement now in place. (The November agreement goes into effect today.)
Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, will not call a floor vote on the bill before Obama's State of the Union address on Jan. 28.
The Menendez-Kirk bill is an effort to be provocative as well as accommodate Israel lobby interests. It is also a mere reflex, namely, striking a militant, defiant posture by treating Iran like the regional monster that it simply is not.
As a spokesperson for the National Security Council commented last week: "If certain members of Congress want the United States to take military action, they should be up front with the American public and say so." A reasonable statement.
NOTES
Another well-informed piece on the subject is Sarah Lazare's recent article:
http://www.juancole.com/2014/01/american-senators-conflict.html
For readers in Illinois: One of the bill's co-sponsors is Senator Mark Kirk. If one wishes to send the senator a note on this matter, he can be found here: http://www.kirk.senate.gov
