Top congressional Democrats have done a great job laying out the terms of the Iran nuclear deal, a Free Beacon SuperCut finds.
These members of Congress explained how Iran will ramp up its campaign of terrorism and Middle East destabilization with funds gained through the nuclear deal. They expressed "concern"—grave concern, even—over key concessions such as the curtailment of inspections on Iran’s military sites, the removal of a ban on arms sales to Iran, and the 15-year sunset clause on restrictions to Iran’s ability to enrich nuclear material.
Still, as other Democrats have unceasingly reminded us, the Iran deal was ultimately an inviolable vote of conscience for each member of Congress.
The consciences of the Democrats portrayed here led them to stick with their party in blocking a vote on the deal.
Transcript:
SEN. RON WYDEN: Let me tell you: some of the issues I’m concerned about at this point are as follows.
When this all began the focus was on dismantlement. It seems like this has moved now to be about accepting it.
We were really under the assumption that there would be anywhere, anytime inspections.
SEN. JEFF MERKLEY: [The deal] does not sustain the current U.N. ban on Iran’s importation of conventional arms. It does not dictate how Iran can spend the dollars from cash assets that are frozen. These exclusions are troubling.
SEN. CORY BOOKER: It will allow them a pathway to get conventional weapons that I feel will be used for some pretty painful acts.
SEN. GARY PETERS: I am concerned that in the long-term other nations will view this agreement as a precedent that will lead to increased proliferation.
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: There are a number of things that had really given me angst and pause. I worry that additional resources, no matter how little, that Iran would get access to, that they could divert to terrorist activity would cause harm to Jews and others around the world.
SEN. CHRIS COONS: I am very concerned about what Iran will do with the tens of billions of dollars they get. And with what will happen in 15 years when they have an industrial-scale civilian nuclear enrichment program.
Frankly, this is not the deal that I had hoped for.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF: It’s very worrying because they’re going to have tremendous resources now to support their proxies. They remain a threshold nuclear state when this is all said and done. That concession is one that troubles so many of us.
MERKLEY: For that reason I will support it.
COONS: I support this deal.
PETERS: I will reluctantly support the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
WASSERMAN-SCHULTZ: I will be casting my vote to support the deal.
CNN ANCHOR: Ron Wyden has announced his support of the White House’s nuclear deal.
ADAM SCHIFF: The deal makes sense.
REPORTER: I feel like you’ll be a yes.
BOOKER: Um.