May 7, 2015 - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, released the following statement regarding votes on the Iran Nuclear Review Act:
This bill was a missed opportunity. If Congress had acted to defend our constitutional authority if Congress had adopted the Cruz-Toomey amendment then we would be able to stop a bad Iran deal. Instead, the odds are now overwhelming that under these ground rules President Obama will negotiate, and Congress will acquiesce to, a terrible deal that allows Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and will endanger the lives of millions of Americans and our allies.
I voted no on cloture because we should have insisted on amendments to put real teeth in this bill. Ultimately, I voted yes on final passage because it may delay, slightly, President Obamas ability to lift the Iran sanctions and it ensures we will have a Congressional debate on the merits of the Iran deal. I will continue to lead the fight to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to protect the national security of America and our allies.
Cruz said: “I voted yes on final passage because it may delay, slightly, President Obamas ability to lift the Iran sanctions and it ensures we will have a Congressional debate on the merits of the Iran deal.”
“May delay, slightly”??! That’s a lousy reason. “Ensures” a debate? If a Republican controlled Senate cannot ensure that it would have a debate on a treaty vote, then we are in bigger trouble than we thought.
Cruz blew it big time here. Did he talk to Sen. Tom Cotton about this?