Hoyer: 'At a Minimum' Deal 'Must Dismantle Iran's Nuclear Weapons Infrastructure'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iskl3d7PgeU

It’s no secret on Capitol Hill that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) aren’t the best of friends, and that was evident in their very different reactions to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to a joint session of Congress yesterday.

Hoyer was seated next to Pelosi and jumped to his feet with enthusiastic applause often, while “near tears” Pelosi fidgeted and acted uncomfortable.

He was behind Pelosi at a press conference later, video above, and cast priceless looks in her direction as she described her near-tears experience.

Finally, Hoyer issued his own statement on Netanyahu’s speech:

“Today, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke before a joint meeting of Congress regarding the ongoing negotiations with Iran, and I share his concern that Iran has shown it cannot be trusted. I remain hopeful – though skeptical – that an agreement can be reached, which is clearly the best option. If there is an agreement, at a minimum it must dismantle Iran’s nuclear weapons-related infrastructure, include what Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken called ‘the strongest, most intrusive inspection and access program that any country has ever seen,’ and deal with militarization. America’s policy toward Iran has consistently been and must continue to be prevention, not containment.”

Hoyer appeared side by side with Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in D.C. on Sunday. “Democrats and Republicans don’t always agree, but when it comes to the safety and security of Israel, we will stand together,” Hoyer said.

The Hoyer side-eye is everything MT @TheLeadCNN Pelosi ‘insulted’ by Netanyahu speech http://t.co/5giqVYJjrY pic.twitter.com/KPiUcaC8C8

— Bridget Johnson (@Bridget_PJM) March 3, 2015