Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) on Monday expressed confidence that the Senate will get the 60 votes it needs to reject the Iran nuclear agreement.
"We can get to 60," McCain said during an interview with radio personality Hugh Hewitt Monday night. "I am confident we’re gonna get to 60."
The "key" concern will be generating the 67 votes of rejection in order to override President Obama’s promised veto of the vote, McCain said.
"That’s where we gotta get 13 Democrats," McCain said.
Last week, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) announced his decision to oppose the nuclear deal with Iran, on Monday challenging the Obama administration to "go back and try to get a better deal." Multiple Democratic House members have also expressed disapproval of the deal.
"I guarantee you, if this thing goes through, you will see a nuclear Middle East right away," McCain said. "The security of Israel is at stake here, but so is the security of the United States of America."
Congress has 60 days--or until mid-September--to review the deal. Lawmakers would have to pass a resolution to kill the agreement, which would need two-thirds majority support in order to override the veto from Obama.
Currently, a majority of House representatives back a resolution led by Rep. Peter Roskam (R., Ill.) to reject the nuclear agreement.
Republicans have been vocal in their rejection of the deal, particularly taking issue with the undisclosed agreements between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the organization responsible for ensuring that Tehran abides by the stipulations in the deal, that Obama has failed to publicize.
Recently, 94 House lawmakers, including Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), penned a letter to the president demanding that he fulfill his "legal obligation" to provide Congress with details of the side deals, stressing that Obama’s withholding of such information violates the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) and Rep. Mike Pompeo (R., Kan.) have also charged Obama with breaking the law by not revealing the details of the secret side agreements.
Obama, who is currently enjoying a 17-day vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, has declined to respond.