Letter from Two Senior Senators to Obama Regarding Oversight of the Iran Agreement

Bob Corker, Republican Senator from Tennessee, and Ben Cardin, Democratic Senator from Maryland and senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have proposed plans for continued oversight of the comprehensive nuclear agreement with Iran in a letter to President Barack Obama. The letter, published on Thursday afternoon, states, "As the agreement with Iran (JCPOA) approaches its implementation date, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will propose a plan to ensure congressional control and oversight of the agreement and its regional and international complexities." The two senators expressed hope that the Obama administration would remain committed to its pledge to continue engaging with Congress on this matter and requested that the President facilitate access to government officials – including the Secretaries of State, Energy, and Treasury – who can explain matters in public and private Senate sessions. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to hold meetings this month (December) and in January 2016 and thereafter to assess Iran's compliance with the July 14 comprehensive nuclear agreement, Tehran's support for terrorist activities, and its missile program. According to Senators Corker and Cardin, while it is possible that the implementation of the agreement may not occur within the set deadline, other threats related to Iran's behavior and actions outside of the JCPOA are worth discussing in terms of U.S. national security. The letter from these two senior members of Congress also mentions that following the implementation of the JCPOA, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will regularly hold confidential meetings to review a comprehensive set of issues related to Iran's compliance with the agreement, as well as its support for terrorism and destabilizing activities in the region.