AFP: The US Congress could send President Barack Obama legislation imposing new sanctions on Iran "in a matter of weeks," Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday. 
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US Congress could send President Barack Obama legislation imposing new sanctions on Iran "in a matter of weeks," Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday.
Hoyer told reporters he was "hopeful" that lawmakers would act on the popular initiative "sooner, rather than later."
The Senate and US House of Representatives have passed rival bills taking aim at Iran over its defiance of world demands it freeze its suspect nuclear drive, and must now forge and pass compromise legislation to send it to Obama.
Hoyer said the House would vote this week on its delegates to the "conference" that will resolve differences between the two versions. An aide said the vote would come Wednesday or Thursday.
Asked how quickly the US Congress could wrap up that process and send Obama the legislation, Hoyer told reporters that House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman "would like to get this done in a matter of weeks."
The final product is expected to take aim at Iran's reliance on imports of refined petroleum products, including gasoline, because of a lack of domestic refining capability.
