WASHINGTON \u2015 The Senate\u2019s top Republican won\u2019t support plans to require Congress to approve military action against Iran, but he signaled he may at least allow a vote on the idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday that he thinks a proposed amendment<\/a> regarding Iran would undermine the president in the midst of a crisis<\/a>. But, in a break with recent precedent of sidelining potentially controversial issues, he is considering allowing a full-chamber vote on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re not opposed to having the vote, and we are working on having that vote, passing the NDAA [National Defense Authorization Act] and passing a [border spending] supplemental this week,” McConnell told reporters Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amid a partisan split over the growing tension between Washington and Tehran, the bipartisan amendment to the massive 2020 NDAA would allow force in the event of an attack on the U.S., its territories or possessions, or its armed forces, but otherwise require congressional approval. It\u2019s sponsored by Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and backed by Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., had been agitating for the vote for days and hailed McConnell\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, we can sit down and work out an agreement to have this amendment, it will be voted yes or no, and we will pass the NDAA,\u201d Schumer said. \u201cThat\u2019s the way our caucus feels. Our caucus is strongly united that we must, must, must have a vote.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet McConnell\u2019s assent signals he knows the Iran vote will fail and that the GOP can message effectively against Democrats on the amendment itself, said Rick Berger, and American Enterprise Institute research fellow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Senate floor remarks, McConnell said President Donald Trump is right to stand up to Iran and pressure it economically. While Trump does not want a war with Iran, the amendment would \u201cgratuitously take options off the table\u201d in the ongoing crisis, McConnell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat is not productive is an effort being promoted by the Democratic leader that would preemptively tie the hands of our military commanders, weaken our diplomatic leverage, embolden our adversaries and create a dangerous precedent,\u201d McConnell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t