WASHINGTON, 09 January 2022, (TON): Democrats are headed for a showdown with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) over his bid to force the Biden administration’s hand over a Russian gas pipeline.

As part of a deal reached by Cruz and Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Senate will vote next week on legislation from the conservative firebrand to put sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will carry gas from Moscow to Germany.

Cruz needs help from 10 Democrats to get the bill through the Senate, and said he thinks his prospects for hitting that threshold are “good.”

But Democrats are raising red flags over the bill, even though they’ve previously supported similar sanctions.

”I’ve been talking to a number of my colleagues, and they have raised some serious questions about the Cruz amendment. It’s a little much,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, asked if 10 Democrats would support the bill.

Cruz’s legislation requires the administration to impose sanctions related to the pipeline within 15 days of the bill becoming law. But a big sticking point for Democrats, raised by senators who spoke to The Hill, are restrictions on Biden’s ability to waive the sanctions, including the ability for Congress to vote to reinstate the penalties if they are waived.