WASHINGTON
The Obama administration indicated Monday that it will continue this week its bid to sway lawmakers to support an Iran nuclear agreement.
Secretary of State John Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and an unnamed “senior intelligence official” will brief all House representatives and senators during classified hearings on Wednesday, according to White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
On Thursday, the three Cabinet members will testify during a public Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing.
The push comes during a crucial 60-day review period for lawmakers.
President Barack Obama said the approval of the deal by United Nations Security Council on Monday would help his push to gain congressional support.
"I think it will send a clear message that the overwhelming number of countries who not only participated in the deal, the P5+1, but who have observed what’s happened, recognize that this is by far our strongest approach to ensuring that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon," Obama said before meeting with his Nigerian counterpart.
Obama said there was a broad international consensus around the issue, including among nuclear energy experts, and that he assumed Congress would pay attention to the broad-based consensus.
Vice President Joe Biden met last Thursday with his former Democratic colleagues in the Senate to shore up support for the agreement that has come under heated criticism from Republicans, which control both houses of Congress.
Obama has threatened to veto any legislation that undermines the accord. He needs the support of 34 of the 100 senators to maintain his veto and protect the deal.
Congress requires a two-thirds majority vote in both houses to override a presidential veto.
