WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today took to the Senate floor and urged his colleagues to give the American people a voice by ensuring a Senate vote over disapproval of the Obama Administration’s controversial nuclear agreement with Iran. Roberts disapproves of the deal because it will undermine the security of the United States.
The nuclear deal survived a key vote in the Senate on Thursday afternoon, a victory for President Barack Obama.
Democrats held together to block a resolution of disapproval against the deal. The vote was 58-42 in favor of proceeding, but 60 votes were needed for the resolution to advance to a final vote.
The outcome means the disapproval resolution will not reach Obama’s desk, and the nuclear deal will move forward unchecked by Congress.
Watch Senator Roberts comments here
“I believe this agreement to be deeply flawed and our failure to truly debate and fix what is in it represents an abrogation of our responsibilities,” Roberts said.
“As if failure to consider this agreement is not enough, now consider the fact that there are those in this distinguished body who will try to block cloture and in doing so, prevent even a simple yes or no vote on the resolution. Talk about an upside down, Alice in Wonderland exercise.”
Roberts went on to say, “We should find a path forward that enables bipartisan accord as a legislative body. But, that path always starts when respect trumps partisanship. I regret that is not today, not this week, not this issue, not this president.
“Given the fact that we are where we are, I think it is imperative we fully understand how Iran has interpreted this agreement. The shoe is on the Iranian foot and judging by the statements of their leaders, they believe it fits just fine.”
The following is text of Senator Roberts’ remarks as prepared for delivery:
Mr. President, I rise today concerned, disheartened, and fearful about the vote – or to be more accurate not even having a vote – regarding the issue before us that effects our national security and that of others worldwide.
We have before us the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an executive agreement whose original goal was to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear armed state.
In keeping with our Constitutional responsibility and Senate tradition, what we should have before us is a treaty. But, we do not.
Were the Senate taking up a treaty, we could be having debate on rational, common sense, and effective amendments that would protect our country and reduce the flames of turmoil in the Middle East and Europe.
But we are not. We are voting on a resolution of disapproval and we may well end up voting not to vote at all; a probability I find inexplicable and outrageous.
In the Senate’s 226 year history, it has taken up almost 1900 treaties and only rejected 22. Many of which have dealt with subjects of much less consequence.
I deeply regret the Administration would not even consider the Senate allowing a vote on this crucial, foreign policy and national security issue as a treaty.
During debate on the Iran Nuclear Review Act in April, I voted in favor of Senator Johnson’s amendment to do just that. We had the opportunity. The Senate failed to seize it.
I believe this agreement to be deeply flawed and our failure to truly debate and fix what is in it represents an abrogation of our responsibilities. This, in the face of an agreement, a “deal” that is already adversely affecting the daily lives and wellbeing of individuals around the world. Refugees throughout the Middle East recognize the United States is yielding both power and persuasion to Iran and they are fleeing for their lives.
As if failure to consider this agreement is not enough, now consider the fact that there are those in this distinguished body who will try to block cloture and in doing so, prevent even a simple yes or no vote on the resolution. Talk about an upside down, Alice in Wonderland exercise.
The Senate has already voted 98-2 to have a vote. And yet we stand here today ready to abrogate that vote.
So, my colleagues, what are we doing?
We are simply debating a flawed agreement submitted to us by the President. We are not amending or voting on the agreement at all. We are just debating!
This path which we take today – a detour into a box canyon, achieving nothing – has been forced upon us by the very same people who made the Senate swallow the nuclear option.
Where – on earth – has the Senate gone?
Well, the President has been breaking arms and legs, urging my colleagues to use Senate procedure and deny Senators the right to vote.
It’s pretty simple – the President doesn’t want the Senate to vote NO on what he considers his foreign policy legacy.
However, on occasion, the Senate has put partisanship aside and debated issues of deep conviction and diverging opinions. This should be one of those times. But it is not.
We should find a path forward that enables bipartisan accord as a legislative body. But, that path always starts when respect trumps partisanship. I regret that is not today, not this week, not this issue, not this president.
Given the fact that we are where we are, I think it is imperative we fully understand how Iran has interpreted this agreement. The shoe is on the Iranian foot and judging by the statements of their leaders, they believe it fits just fine.
Now, we have heard in detail from Secretary Kerry. We have heard from and been lectured by the President. But Members should also know what Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme Leader Ali Khomeini told the Iranian people after the agreement was finalized. The difference is both pertinent and remarkable.
Speaking before his constituency in Tehran, President Rouhani perfectly articulated where the U.S. began these so called negotiations and where the U.S. made enormous concessions. According to him, we did not negotiate at all, we only conceded.
Mr. President, it is a paradox of enormous irony that in order to know the truth about this agreement – highly praised by the Administration and well received by a determined minority in this Senate – to learn the unfortunate truth about who negotiated and who conceded, we have to read and understand the remarks of President Rouhani to get the full picture.
President Rouhani stated that in the beginning, the U.S. capped the number of centrifuges to 100. Today, Iran is allowed over 6,000.
Where original restriction and oversight were set for 20 years. Today, it is only 8 years.
With regards to research and development, the U.S. abandoned any limits on developing systems for enriching uranium. Instead, Iran is free to develop centrifuges to the highest level they desire, the IR8.
The Administration placed a redline on heavy water production at the Arak facility. Today, the reactor will continue operating and producing heavy water.
We said sanctions would be lifted incrementally. Today, they are virtually non-existent. Soon, Iran will receive a windfall of approximately $100 to $150 billion dollars for whatever use it wishes. Read: Terrorism. Read: anti-missile defense systems.
Of greatest importance, what happened to the inspections regime? This Administration said “anytime, anywhere” but Iran walked away holding the key to who, how, and when inspectors will get in.
It is not so much what we in the U.S. know or believe. It is rather, what Iran believes in the words of their President and Supreme Leader. Their remarks not only put into absolute focus what the Iranian government understands as their responsibility in regards to this agreement but it also puts into perspective which side demanded and which side conceded.
Now, the Administration will argue President Rouhani’s statements are but a show for the Iranian public. That Iran wants to claim they can become a stable influence in the Middle East. Sure… tell that to Israel.
But the question remains, are we voting on an agreement or are we voting on concessions? According to President Rouhani, it is the latter.
Perhaps the proud boasting of President Rouhani is one thing, but the vows of the Ayatollah are quite another. His speech – punctuated by cheers, “Death to America! Death to Israel” – vowed that regardless of the deal’s approval or not, Iran would never stop supporting their friends in Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, or Lebanon. The exact places Iran has been found backing terrorist organizations which led to its listing as a State Sponsor of Terrorism by the State Department.
But I have just listed the concessions and vows that Iran’s leaders have made public. What about the ones that will never be revealed? The agreed upon arrangements between Iran and the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency?
Today, all Senators should be gravely concerned about these negotiations and agreements.
Do we have access? No. Do we have information? No. Do we have transparency? No. Do we know what processes will be “allowed”? No. Well…. Actually, we do.
Under the agreement’s Dispute Resolution Mechanisms this agreement sets up a tortured path that does not just involve the much publicized 24 day waiting period. After 24 days, any dispute would be referred to a Joint Commission where there will be a 15 day waiting period. Then the dispute would be referred to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs with another 15 day waiting period. And, finally the dispute would end up before an Advisory Board with… you guessed it… another 15 day waiting period! All of this, of course, can be delayed if the parties agree on an extension, which they will.
Instead of resolution, we have an unending series of switchbacks to get to the top of a mountain which, in fact, we will never see.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We have tried IAEA inspections with Iran before and they failed miserably. It seems nothing short of insane to say we can trust Iran today.
Mr. President, this deal does more than give Iran the power to self-regulate, filibuster, and avoid inspections. It gives Iran the ability to remain unaccountable and rogue.
This debate is not just about what the Administration, this body, or the American public thinks of an agreement with Iran. This is also very much about what the Iranians think we have and will accept.
I worry that we are looking at this so called agreement through rose colored glasses, based on hope and the misguided idea that any deal is better than no deal because the alternative is war.
Why do I say rose colored glasses?
It is because civilized nations do that. We naturally want to believe that disaster and chaos will not happen. But, they do.
14 years ago tomorrow, while heading into work, I heard the news of the World Trade Center being attacked. My heart fell and my stomach churned because as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I had been repeating over and over again that the oceans no longer protected us and the nature of warfare was dramatically changing.
At the time of the attacks, coming up on 395, I could see black smoke billowing from the Pentagon. I knew the Capitol would be next.
Now, if it were not for the heroes of Flight 93, who made the declaration “let’s roll” a national rallying cry, my instincts would have been right and the Capitol would have been hit.
The probability is I would not be making these remarks today. Now, close your eyes. Imagine the terrible ramifications had that plane hit the Capitol – where you sit today would have been rubble. Now, imagine that happening tomorrow.
Throughout our history, periods of peace, stability, and prosperity have unfortunately been the aberration, not the norm!
As a result, we have learned the hard way – as Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice in so many conflicts throughout our history.
Around the world, we have witnessed man’s inhumanity to man: the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, and now, with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and their savage caliphate threatening almost indiscriminately against all those who do not subscribe to their Sharia Law, and especially, to our best ally in the region, the State of Israel.
My colleagues, despite our best efforts, our hope, our optimism, and the siren song, It can’t happen, I would only remind you that history tells us that it has happened… and it will happen again.
UNLESS… unless, we have the courage to take off the rose colored glasses and come to the realization with regards to the consequences of what we are doing – or more aptly put, not doing – and who we are dealing with.
Today, we are dealing with a State Sponsor of Terrorism and they will continue. Iran will become a nuclear armed state.
As we mark the 14th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks and loss of over 3,000 Americans on September 11th, 2001, I want to make it clear that I do not trust Iran and I will never support concessions which will allow them to become a nuclear armed state.
It is my hope to vote YES on the resolution of disapproval. As my good friend and colleague Senator Cornyn emphasized yesterday: Every Senator here should have the opportunity to vote on this issue given the irony that Iran’s leadership has given that power and privilege to its own parliament.
AT LEAST – at least give me the privilege today, as a Senator, to cast the most important vote of my 35 years in public service.