UPDATE: Congress readies debate on Iran deal

WASHINGTON (AP) – Lawmakers in Washington are getting ready for what could be the most consequential foreign policy vote of their careers – over the Iran nuclear deal.

The agreement struck by Iran, the U.S. and five other world powers in July would provide Iran with hundreds of billions of dollars in relief from international sanctions in exchange for a decade of constraints on Iran’s nuclear program.

Debate is opening Wednesday afternoon in both chambers of Congress.

The House is expected to pass a resolution this week disapproving of the accord. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California is working hard to bolster support for the deal, and she’s invited ambassadors from the other five world powers to meet House Democrats later Wednesday.

In the Senate as of Tuesday, 42 Democratic and independent senators had announced support for the deal. That’s one more than needed to block passage of a resolution of disapproval in the Senate.

That’s a major foreign policy victory for President Barack Obama. But it’s still unclear whether all 42 will go along with procedural maneuvers to prevent a final vote on the resolution. The administration is pushing for that outcome and Senate Democrats are meeting Wednesday with Secretary of State John Kerry, a lead negotiator of the accord.