Sen. Bob Menendez lost the chairmanship of the Foreign Relations Committee when Republicans took control of the Senate last year. However, his maneuvering on Iran sanctions last week shows he remains a force on international issues.

Facing a veto threat and other pressure from President Obama, and with many fellow Democrats hesitant or actively opposing him, Menendez arranged a tactical retreat that resulted in a strong 18-4 vote in support of sanctions in the Banking Committee.

At a pivotal time when Obama has issued a slew of veto threats to establish how he will deal with Congress under total Republican control, Menendez kept a faction of Democrats mostly intact who could provide votes needed for an override.

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