The Iran deal is a strong agreement and an achievement of vigorous diplomacy. It has the support of nuclear security experts, our allies around the world, and Americans like me. No Senator who believes in the importance of American leadership should oppose this multilateral agreement. To those members of Congress who continue to oppose this deal because of politics and misinformation, we urge you to reconsider your position. By continuing to divide our nation, you are dragging America’s reputation through the mud in another partisan spectacle that will not succeed in killing the deal. All members of Congress should now come together to ensure that this verifiable deal is fully implemented. This deal not only blocks Iran’s pathway to a nuclear weapon, but it demonstrates precisely how America can win without war. The national debate about the Iran deal has been about more than a nuclear agreement. This fight has tested our nation’s ability to resolve international disputes through diplomacy – not war – and diplomacy has prevailed. We urge you, our leaders, to build upon this diplomatic victory to advance a more progressive foreign policy rooted in diplomacy, not war.

The tragedies that happen overseas cannot be ignored just because they aren't happening at our doorstep. The first step in changing minds is changing lives. Not by weapons this time. Not by invasions or through conversions. But through kindness. A kindness that costs so little to us personally. I create this petition because I want the world to see the United States the way that it should be. As an entity for good in the world.

Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton recently asserted that the Iran nuclear agreement “isn’t the start of some broader diplomatic opening” with Iran. [1] Clinton was wrong to try to foreclose the possibility of a broader improvement in the U.S.–Iran relationship, which could help resolve regional conflicts, saving many innocent lives. To try to rule out a broader improvement in the U.S.–Iran relationship is something that President Obama and Vice-President Biden have not done and would not do. Former U.S. Ambassador Thomas Pickering has argued that the successful negotiation of the Iran nuclear agreement could present an opportunity for the United States to coordinate more openly with Iran on mutual interests in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, noting that the U.S. is already coordinating with Iran in Iraq. [2] In the wake of televised images of the Syrian war refugee crisis, there have been new calls to “do something” [3] about the Syrian civil war. Unfortunately, “something,” for pro-war voices, means more bombing and more killing. A better idea, more likely to succeed, is to use more diplomacy and more politics to achieve a political agreement involving as many political actors in Syria as possible and as many involved countries as possible – including Iran. We should use diplomacy with Iran to help end Syria’s civil war – just as we used diplomacy to address the problem of Iran’s nuclear program. Urge the Obama Administration and Congress to support direct talks with Iran to help end Syria’s civil war by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/09/09/today-in-politics-clinton-to-weigh-in-on-iran-deal-as-trump-and-cruz-try-to-crush-it/ 2. http://www.us-iran.org/news/2015/9/5/hon-board-member-thomas-pickering-discusses-possibility-of-us-iran-cooperation; http://www.c-span.org/video/?327950-1/discussion-iran-nuclear-deal 3. http://fair.org/home/the-syrian-refugee-crisis-and-the-do-something-lie/

Forty-one Senate Democrats have pledged to support the agreement with Iran. [1] Only four – Schumer, Menendez, Cardin, and Manchin – are opposing the agreement. Washington Senator Maria Cantwell is the only Democratic Senator who has not yet stated a position. Every other West Coast Democratic Senator – Washington Senator Patty Murray, Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer – is backing the agreement. [2] Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has asked Majority Leader McConnell to agree to a 60-vote threshold for a yes vote, consistent with McConnell’s past statements that “major legislation” requires 60 votes in the Senate. [3] (If that hadn’t been the Republican position in the past, labor law reform to make it easier for workers to join unions would have been the law of the land for the past five years.) If 40 Senate Democrats stand with Leader Reid in insisting on a 60-vote threshold for a Republican resolution attacking the agreement, no Republican resolution attacking the agreement will get to the President’s desk. This will be an important precedent for protecting the agreement from Republican attacks in the future. Urge Senator Cantwell to stand with her Democratic colleagues behind Leader Reid in support of the Iran agreement by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/ 2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/ 3. http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Reid-Releases-Statement-On-Iran-Floor-Procedure-324760831.html

Forty-one Senate Democrats have pledged to support the agreement with Iran, including Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware. [1] Only four – Schumer, Menendez, Cardin, and Manchin – are opposing the agreement. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has asked Majority Leader McConnell to agree to a 60-vote threshold for a yes vote, consistent with McConnell’s past statements that “major legislation” requires 60 votes in the Senate. [3] (If that hadn’t been the Republican position in the past, labor law reform to make it easier for workers to join unions would have been the law of the land for the past five years.) If 40 Senate Democrats stand with Leader Reid in insisting on a 60-vote threshold for a Republican resolution attacking the agreement, no Republican resolution attacking the agreement will get to the President’s desk. This will be an important precedent for protecting the agreement from Republican attacks in the future. Senator Coons has been unclear on whether he will support Leader Reid in insisting on a 60-vote threshold for a Republican resolution attacking the agreement, consistent with past Senate practice. Urge Senator Coons to stand with his Democratic colleagues behind Leader Reid in support of the Iran agreement by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/ 2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/ 3. http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Reid-Releases-Statement-On-Iran-Floor-Procedure-324760831.html

As a global leader playing an active role promoting democracy, the US should also step in to provide assistance when those who have no choice must flee. A generation ago my family left Vietnam as refugees when I was nine-years-old. Before us, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese “boat people” survived the horrors of starvation, pirates, and storms in search of freedom. Had the US not welcomed us, we may have suffered a similar fate as the Syrian refugees. Today my sisters and I are proud contributors in the US economy, raising our own families to pursue the American Dream. I believe no one escaping the horrors of war should be subject to death and despair. Please give these innocent families a chance to pursue a decent life.

As Rosh Hashana approaches, we must remember and act on the words "Never Again."

As immigrant Americans, we would like to influence our government's response to this humanitarian crisis.

Irresponsibly, the national Republican Party has made opposition to the Iran nuclear agreement negotiated by Secretary of State Kerry and our European allies a litmus test of Republican Party loyalty, like opposition to the Affordable Care Act, opposition to raising taxes on the extremely wealthy, and opposition to modest cuts in the bloated Pentagon budget. Senator Susan Collins now faces a choice on the Iran agreement: to act responsibly, consistent with her reputation as a moderate and independent Republican, and support the agreement, knowing that if Congress were to kill the agreement, the international inspection system on Iran’s nuclear program would collapse, international sanctions on Iran would collapse, and the U.S. and Iran would be on a path towards an unnecessary and costly war; or comply with the loyalty demands of the Republican Party establishment and belie her reputation as an independent and moderate Republican, and vote to kill the agreement. Senator Angus King and Representative Chellie Pingree support the agreement. [1] The Bangor Daily News has urged Senator Collins to choose the responsible path and support the Iran agreement. [2] Add your voice for responsible policy by signing our petition. References: 1. http://bangordailynews.com/2015/08/19/politics/angus-king-george-mitchell-make-case-for-iran-nuclear-deal/ 2. http://bangordailynews.com/2015/08/31/opinion/editorials/susan-collins-should-choose-the-responsible-path-on-iran/

Senator Ben Cardin has disappointed many Marylanders by opposing President Obama's peace deal with Iran that would prevent them from acquiring nuclear weapons for 15 years. He also said he will be introducing *new* legislation that will undermine the peace deal. In May 2015, he introduced an amendment that supported illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. We need a Senator who can be independent from Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government by voting for peace instead of continuous wars and occupations in the Middle East. Currently liberal superstars Rep. Donna Edwards and Rep. Chris Van Hollen are running for the US Senate from Maryland in 2016. Unfortunately they cannot both win. Whichever one of these Congresspeople doesn't prevail in 2016 will make an excellent replacement for Ben Cardin in 2018.

Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin has announced [1] that he will join Chuck Schumer and Robert Menendez in opposing the agreement with Iran negotiated by President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, and European leaders. Protecting the agreement is a key Democratic priority. Ben Cardin is currently the “Ranking Member" – the leader of Democrats – on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 38 Senate Democrats have said so far that they will support the agreement, ensuring that Republican attempts to kill the agreement in Congress will fail. [2] But unfortunately, this isn’t likely to be the last time that America will face a choice between diplomacy and war. When President Bush led the United States to war with Iraq under false pretenses in 2002-3, many Democrats in leadership positions played a key enabling role. It matters whether Democrats who enable Republican warmongering hold leadership positions. Like any American, Ben Cardin is entitled to his views; but if he supports Republican efforts to undermine diplomacy and provoke war with Iran, he is not entitled to lead Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee [3], has been a strong supporter of using diplomacy to resolve the nuclear dispute with Iran and prevent war. Urge Senator Murphy to run against Cardin for the Democratic leadership of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/ 2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/ 3. http://www.foreign.senate.gov/about/committee-membership

Republican efforts to kill the Iran nuclear agreement have failed – they don’t have the votes to kill it. [1] This is a great victory for peace and diplomacy. Unfortunately, some Democrats, like Ted Lieu, now seem to think that they have a “pass” from progressives to vote against the agreement to appease pro-war special interest groups who spend a lot of money financing political campaigns. There is no pass. Progressives are keeping score. History has shown that Democrats who enable Republican warmongering once are likely to do so again – like Chuck Schumer, who voted for the Iraq war and is now one of only three Senate Democrats opposed to the Iran agreement. Urge Ted Lieu to stand with Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer in defense of the Iran agreement by signing our petition. 1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/07/14/whip-count-where-the-senate-stands-on-the-iran-deal/