Iran's past nuclear activities come under scrutiny
A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of March 23.
Congress will take a hard look at unresolved questions about Iran's nuclear program this coming week as negotiators race to cut a deal by their end-of-the-month deadline.
The House Foreign Affairs panel on the Middle East holds a hearing March 24 on "Iran’s Noncompliance with Its International Atomic Energy Agency Obligations." This comes as more than 360 House members — including every member of the committee — have signed on to a letter to President Barack Obama urging a "full understanding of Iran's past program."
Meanwhile, the Senate has given negotiators a three-week window before it takes up legislation requiring congressional review of any deal on April 14. And a pair of pro-Israel hawks are circulating a letter asking House appropriators to deny funding for further negotiations.
US relations with Israel will also dominate the agenda, with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Rep. Jan Schakowsky addressing J Street's national conference on March 23. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat will also be speaking before the liberal pro-Israel lobby, in the wake of rising anger by the Obama administration over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's apparent dismissal of a two-state solution.
