WASHINGTON, D.C. – In remarks delivered on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, spoke out against any effort to undercut the ongoing negotiations among the United States and its P5+1 partners to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“I think Iran is a dangerous country in terms of exporting terrorism. We see it throughout the region. There’s only one thing worse than an Iran that is attempting to support terrorism and destabilize regimes in the region – and that is an Iran that is supporting terrorism, destabilizing the region, armed with nuclear weapons,” Senator King said.

In his remarks, which came as the Senate began consideration of a bill that would provide Congress the authority to responsibly consider any agreement reached by the negotiators, Senator King warned about the dangerous of introducing poison-pill amendments that would only undermine the negotiations:

“We can’t solve all the problems of the region in this agreement. The purpose of this agreement is to prevent Iran from achieving a nuclear weapon. That’s what we have to keep our eye on,” Senator King said. “And if amendments – no matter how desirable, no matter how good they sound, no matter how politically appealing – if those amendments will undercut or effectively eliminate our ability to keep our eye on the ball, which is to keep [Iran] from having a nuclear weapons, those amendments will not serve our interests, Israel’s interests, the Middle East’s interests, or the world’s interests.”

Senator King is a strong proponent of responsible and sensible Congressional oversight of any deal struck by the United States, its P5+1 partners, and Iran. In his remarks today, he emphasized that any deal achieved must be fully enforceable and verifiable, and examined on its merits and compared to the alternatives.

The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, of which he is an original cosponsor, would require any final agreement with Iran be submitted to Congress for a 30-day review period before congressionally-mandated sanctions on Iran could be waived or suspended by the president.

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