Iran Nuclear Deal: Can The US Congress Sabotage It?

Officials from Iran and six other countries, the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, have agreed on a framework for ways to contain Iran's nuclear programme. It provides guidelines for a more lasting agreement, one that is supposed to be reached by 30 June.

Mr Obama hailed the framework as "historic". If the deal goes through in the summer, it will be a landmark foreign policy achievement. The deal with Iran - and his legacy - are at stake. First, though, he has to overcome resistance in Washington.

"If Congress kills this deal not based on expert analysis, and without offering any reasonable alternative," he said after the agreement was announced, "then it's the United States that will be blamed for the failure of diplomacy."

We must remain clear-eyed regarding Iran's continued resistance to concessions
Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee

"What can Congress do to blow this up?" said Joseph DeThomas, a former advisor on non-proliferation for the US State Department. "Well, Congress can do lots of things."

Members of Congress can hold hearings, calling witnesses to testify about the dangers of the agreement and in this way "embarrass the administration," he said. Witnesses could testify about the dangers of an agreement, for example, and about flaws in the administration strategy.

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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32125391