“The executive branch could be pushing the envelope a little bit on what constitutes an executive agreement as opposed to a treaty where Congress might come into play,” said Jeffrey Peake.
History Shows Obama Doesn’t Need Congress to Seal Iran Deal
By Heritage Foundation Melissa Quinn——Bio and Archives--March 13, 2015
In a letter to Iran this week, nearly four dozen Republican Senators showcased the limitations of a potential unilateral nuclear deal by President Obama, rightly warning that the future U.S. president could reverse the agreement.
But in trying to assert their power, the senators skirted over the fact that presidents have executive authority to make deals with foreign countries — without needing to go to Congress.
While Republican congressional leaders are pushing the Obama administration to handle its nuclear negotiations with Iran as a treaty, which would require approval from two-thirds of the upper chamber, history shows that presidents can — and often do — avoid this requirement by forging “executive agreements” with foreign countries.
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