Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Final Two Undecided Democratic Northwest Senators Back Iran Deal

Oregon's Ron Wyden and Washington's Maria Cantwell, have come out in favor of the Iran nuclear deal.
U.S. Senate
Oregon's Ron Wyden and Washington's Maria Cantwell, have come out in favor of the Iran nuclear deal.

The final two undecided Northwest Democratic Senators, Oregon's Ron Wyden and Washington's Maria Cantwell, came out Tuesday in favor of the Iran nuclear deal.

Wyden and Cantwell were among the last U.S. Senators to take a public position on the pending agreement. The announcements have helped solidify the defense of the Obama administration's deal in Congress.

In a statement Wyden said he reread the deal several times before deciding to support it. He expressed deep skepticism about any promises made by the Iranian government but he said without the deal, Tehran would have an "even quicker path to a bomb."

Cantwell offered some of the same arguments as Wyden. She said it puts the United States and other nations into a stronger position to take action if Iran violates the agreement.

Support for the deal by the rest of the Northwest Congressional delegation follows party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.

Oregon GOP Congressman Greg Walden earlier this summer called it "unacceptable for our safety and security."

Copyright 2015 Northwest News Network

Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.
Chris Lehman
Chris Lehman graduated from Temple University with a journalism degree in 1997. He landed his first job less than a month later, producing arts stories for Red River Public Radio in Shreveport, Louisiana. Three years later he headed north to DeKalb, Illinois, where he worked as a reporter and announcer for NPR–affiliate WNIJ–FM. In 2006 he headed west to become the Salem Correspondent for the Northwest News Network.