Ranking Democrat on banking panel tries to slow Iran sanctions bill in Congress

The top Democrat on the Senate banking committee wants to put the brakes on legislation to levy more sanctions on Iran if no diplomatic agreement can be reached by July to prevent Tehran from being able to develop a nuclear weapon.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said at a hearing Tuesday that the committee should delay a markup on the bill, which has yet to be introduced.

He says the sanctions bill, being drafted by Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., is being "hustled through" the committee without adequate review.

President Barack Obama says any new sanctions legislation would undermine the ongoing negotiations with Iran. He has threatened to veto it.

Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., says sanctions have succeeded where diplomacy has not.