WASHINGTON — (CNN) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed Thursday to hold a full, comprehensive debate in September on the Iran nuclear deal, during a rare press conference ahead of Congress’ August recess.
He also said there would be no government shutdown, despite attempts by conservatives to tie an effort to block funding for the women’s health organization Planned Parenthood to any spending bill.
McConnell blasted President Barack Obama’s tough rhetoric on the Iran deal, however, which the President has said is the only option to avoid war with the country.
“That’s an absurd argument and it’s the one they’ve made from the very beginning, that it’s either what the President negotiates with the Iranians or it’s war,” McConnell said.
“That’s never been the alternative.”
“Let me suggest that had the President and his team spent as much time trying to ratchet up the sanctions on the Iranians over the last two years as they have entering into an agreement, which most of us are highly skeptical of as to having any positive impact at all, we’d have ended up in better place,” he said.
McConnell said Obama was gambling that the agreement with Iran would “completely transform the Middle East.”
“It has the potential to transform the Middle East alright, but it strikes me not into a safer Middle East, but one more racked with discord,” the Kentucky senator said.
Iran is the first order of business after the August recess and Congress is in the midst of a 60-day review of the nuclear deal reached with the country.
It must vote on whether to approve or disapprove of the deal by September 17.
The vast majority of Republicans oppose the deal and a resolution of disapproval is expected to pass both chambers.
Obama is expected to veto that resolution, and the White House is hoping to persuade enough Democrats to back the deal to help sustain his veto.
House Speaker John Boehner said recently Republicans would “to do everything possible to stop” the agreement.
McConnell told reporters Thursday he did not want to “handicap” the outcome of efforts to halt the deal.
Congress is also facing a deadline on funding the government. Legislation to do so must be passed by September 30 to avoid a shutdown. Boehner said last month Congress would have to pass a short-term funding bill to avoid a shutdown, given the calendar crunch after the recess and ongoing disputes over funding bills.
On Thursday, McConnell acknowledged the importance to dealing with Planned Parenthood, citing ongoing investigations of the group by Senate committee, while also vowing to avoid a shutdown.
“I can tell you without fear of contradiction there will be no government shutdown,” he said.
The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2015 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. (Photo: CNN)
