President Barack Obama now has enough support among US Senators to block a resolution disapproving the Iran nuclear agreement from coming to the Senate floor.
On Tuesday morning, an additional three Senators publicly voiced their support for the nuclear agreement, bringing the number of supporters to 41.
As a procedural rule, Senate opponents of the Iran deal will need 60 members in order to bring a resolution of disapproval to the floor for a final vote.
The 41 supporters of the deal now have the ability to block that vote, or filibuster. If the Iran deal supporters were to filibuster, they could run out the clock to the September 17 deadline, granting congressional approval for the nuclear agreement by default.
In a Tuesday speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said that he did not support a filibuster that would essentially block a final vote on the Iran deal. Reid stated that he would advise his Democratic Party to "avoid the usual and unnecessary procedural hurdles."
By blocking a final vote, no senator would have to have his or her name on the record in support or in opposition to the agreement.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate will begin their debate on a resolution against the Iran nuclear agreement.