Sen. Nelson: GOP Went Too Far In Warning Iran

By  //  March 10, 2015

Bill Nelson
Bill Nelson

WASHINGTON D.C. — In a speech on the Senate floor this morning, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said the GOP letter to Iran yesterday went a step too far, and that he was saddened to see that “Nearly half of the senators on a partisan basis … would in effect try to cut the legs off from underneath the president and his administration in trying to reach an agreement to avert a nuclear bomb.” 

Below are additional excerpts from his speech.  

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Remarks on the Senate floor
March 10, 2015

… I think history will show, Mr. President, that we have always been bipartisan when it comes to the interest of America as we look out and have to defend ourselves against our enemies. And indeed, Iran with a nuclear bomb would be one of the gravest threats to our national security as well as to those of our allies.

Mr. President, it saddens me that we have come to the point that we are so divided that nearly half of the senators on a partisan basis in this great institution of the United States Senate would in effect try to cut the legs off from underneath the president and his administration in trying to reach an agreement to avert a nuclear bomb.

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When we see a major part on a partisan basis of our government try to undercut and kill the negotiations while they are going on at this very moment in Geneva, then that goes a step too far.

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We can disagree about the specifics, but we still have to honor the institution of the presidency. And when it becomes matters of war and peace, then we’ve got to unify. And that’s why I’m so saddened that we’ve come to the point at which we appear to be so divided.