Press Releases
BI-PARTISAN GROUP OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS RESPOND TO SECRETARY RICE’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIGH TECH ARMS TO SAUDI ARABIA, WILL INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO BLOCK SALE
CALL $20 BILLION WEAPONS DEAL "DANGEROUS FOLLY"
Washington DC - Today, a bi-partisan group of members of Congress led by Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Mike Ferguson (R-NJ) responded to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s announcement that the U.S. has begun negotiations with Saudi Arabia on a $20 billion arms package of advanced weaponry. The members outlined legislation they will introduce intended to block the deal "the minute Congress is officially notified." Saudi Arabia has not been a true ally in the war on terror, just this week American officials in Iraq said the majority of suicide bombers in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia and that about 45 percent of all foreign fighters are Saudi.
Yesterday, Secretary Rice announced negotiations for a multi-billion dollar arms sale package to the Saudi Arabian government, and is conducting meetings today in the region with Secretary Gates. The package includes Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM's), satellite guided bombs accurate enough to shoot through the window of a building from jets in any weather. The United States has never sold such advances munitions to Saudi Arabia before. The sale would also upgrade the capability of the Saudi Air Force and provide new naval vessels.
Congress may reject any large arms sale according to the Arms Control Export Act of 1976. The President is required to officially notify Congress of an impending arms deal, who then has 30 days to trigger a review and pass a Joint Resolution of Disapproval.
The Joint Resolution of Disapproval has been used in the past by Congress to affect weapons sales, including in 1986 when Congress successfully convinced then President Reagan to cut back an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. Past administrations have renegotiated sales based on just the prospect if a Congressional Review.
Saudi Arabia has not been a true ally in furthering the United States interests in the Middle East. Just this week, Brig. General Kevin Bergner, the top American military spokesman in Iraq detailed an account of a Saudi Arabian smuggled into Iraq to be a suicide bomber. American officials in Iraq say the majority of suicide bombers in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia and that about 45 percent of all foreign fighters are Saudi. 70% of the most-wanted international terrorists are Saudi Arabians
In February the Saudi Arabian government torpedoed U.S. plans to conduct a high-profile peace summit meeting between Israel and the Palestinian Authority by brokering their own power-sharing agreement, catching the U.S. off guard and ensuring the agreement would not require Hamas to recognize Israel or forswear violence. On March 29th, many agree Saudi Arabia King Abdullah referred to the U.S. troops in Iraq as an "illegitimate foreign occupation" at a two-day Arab summit in Riyadh.
And despite assurances to the contrary, Saudi Arabia continues to bankroll terrorist organizations that have attacked both the United States and Israel. In sworn testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in November 2005, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Daniel L. Glaser indicated that the Saudi Arabian government refuses to crack down on the World Association of Muslim Youth (WAMY), which spreads radical Wahhabism and finances Hamas and Al Qaeda.
"We need to send a crystal clear message to the Saudi Arabian government that their tacit approval of terrorism can't go unpunished," said Rep. Weiner. "Saudi Arabia should not get an ounce of military support from the U.S until they unequivocally denounce terrorism and take tangible steps to prevent it."
"It is critical that Congress block the sale of these high tech weapons to Saudi Arabia given its abysmal record in combating terrorism and unwillingness to crack down on extremists," said Rep. Wexler. "America's national security interest must come first, and I urge President Bush to immediately cancel this controversial sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia."
Reps. Weiner, Wexler and Ferguson were joined at the press conference by Reps. Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Rush Holt (D-NJ) Barbara Lee (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Charles Rangel (D-NY), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA). Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), and Linda Sanchez (D-CA) have also joined in support of a Joint Resolution of Disapproval.
