Congress Invites Netanyahu To Visit Without Asking Obama

Congress has invited Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to address the House and Senate next month without asking President Obama. The House of Representative Speaker John Boehner, Republican, extended the invitation on Wednesday.

An Israeli official said Netanyahu was looking into possibly meeting with Obama when he visits Washington to address a joint session of Congress on Feb. 11. The current Congress is controlled by Republicans in both the House and Senate.

Boehner announced the invitation to Israeli’s Prime Minister “to address Congress on the grave threats radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life.”

The invitation from Congress to Netanyahu came the morning after Obama’s State of the Union address. In his speech, the president promised to veto any legislation passed by Congress to toughen sanctions against Iran while negotiations were in progress with Tehran over its nuclear program. The deadline for these talks is June 30.

Lawmakers are pressing to set new sanctions against Iran if the deadline is not met. Republicans and some Democrats are trying to gather enough support to override a veto by Obama.

Additionally, Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, wants legislation that would give Congress veto power over any decision reached with Iran about its nuclear program.

The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to vote on Iran-related legislation on Jan. 29.

White House spokesperson Josh Earnest described the invitation as a departure from protocol. Typically the leader of a country, not a ruling body, would contact the leader of another country.

CNN asked Boehner if inviting Netanyahu without consulting the White House was a “poke in the eye.” Boehner replied, “The Congress can make this decision on its own. I don’t believe I’m poking anyone in the eye.”

Earnest said the White House will wait to hear from Israeli officials on Netanyahu’s trip before making a decision about the meeting.

Congress invited Netanyahu to speak five weeks before Israel’s March 17 elections.

[Photo Credit: Speaker John Boehner]

Congress Invites Netanyahu To Visit Without Asking Obama