Cantor to seek new Iran nuclear resolution

House Majority Leader Eric CantorEric CantorEx-RNC spokesman: After Trump remarks how can I tell minorities to vote GOP Kelly’s challenge? Bringing stability to Trump White House Special interests hide behind vets on Independence Day MORE (R-Va.) announced Friday his intention to seek a bipartisan resolution on what a final nuclear deal should look like after Democrats bailed on him last year.

Cantor hoped to bring a similar resolution to the floor before the end of the year recess but shelved those plans after House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) urged a pause as the Obama administration finalized the interim agreement reached in November. In a memo to Republicans laying out the legislative agenda for January, Cantor vowed to try again.

“Iran remains perhaps the most significant national security threat facing the United States and its closest allies,” Cantor said. “Its determined pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability and support for terrorism and instability must be stopped. 

“It is my hope that the House, in a bipartisan manner, can express our concerns about Iran's aggression and state our position on what a comprehensive settlement of the nuclear issue should look like.”

The resolution would likely call for new sanctions if Iran reneges on its commitments and demand that Iran not be allowed to enrich uranium as part of a final deal. The Obama administration maintains that passing new sanctions would derail diplomatic talks and that Iran is all but certain to demand to be allowed some level of uranium enrichment.

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