Iran Deal Faces Congress

The Obama Administration has signed a deal with Iran aimed at preventing Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons. In exchange, the US will lift some economic sanctions against Iran. The President is allowed to make treaties, so President Obama doesn’t need approval from Congress. However, the President does need the legislative branch to agree to lift the sanctions. This push and pull between branches of government has the power to destroy the deal if Congress won’t agree to lifting the sanctions. President Obama’s cabinet members are aggressively promoting the deal to Congress in the hopes of getting enough Democratic support for it to survive. Listen to hear more about this debate.

Tweet Share on Facebook

Want to Listen?

TEACHERS: Access our entire library of lessons and current events!

With a free teacher account, you get:

Our lesson collections for Social Studies, ELA, and Science
Authentic audio news stories curated for the classroom
Teaching resources to check for understanding
And new Current Events every school day

Already a Member? Login Now

Story Length: 4:17

Listen to the Story:

Listening Comprehension Questions

What was one of Malala Yousafzai’s first experiences with the dangers of religious extremism?
After miraculously surviving her attack, what has Malala focused her work on?
What is the message that Malala is trying to send to those in power?
What does Malala want to do in the future?
What are the goals of Malala’s mission to support girls?

Discussion Themes

What is your opinion on Malala’s message about the power of education?
Why do you think that ISIS might want to silence people like Malala?

Socrative users can import these questions using the following code: SOC-1234

Related Current Events

April 12, 2015

3:53

Same Deal, Different Stories

The United States, Iran and five other world powers have agreed on the basic principles of a nuclear accord. This agreement is being presented as a victory in the U.S. and Iran but the two sides are offering different stories on some of the key points of the deal, including when economic sanctions will end. Listen to learn more about how these differing narratives may lead to problems finalizing the deal.

February 1, 2015

2:57

Nuclear Power in India

The demand for electricity in India is rising, but India relies on coal for the majority of their power. The hope of a new deal with the United States is to help India transition from dirty coal to cleaner nuclear energy. U.S. companies will sell nuclear technology to Indian power companies so they can transition to a cleaner energy source. This might be good for the earth, but what about for security? Listen to learn about the pros and cons of this international energy deal.

June 5, 2014

4:04

Congress Upset with White House Decision to do Prisoner Swap Without Consultation

The White House recently swapped five Guantanamo prisoners for one U.S army sergeant who was a prisoner of war in Afghanistan. However, Congress is upset because the President didn't consult with them before making the trade. Some legislators feel that this event was designed to further the Obama Administration's legacy. Listen to this radio story to learn why.