Press Releases
BUSH URGED NOT TO WAIVE CONGRESS’ BAN ON AID TO SAUDI ARABIA
Washington D.C. - Today, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn & Queens) urged President Bush to uphold Congress’ ban on all U.S. aid to Saudi Arabia. Last year, President Bush waived Congress’ restrictions, despite evidence that Saudi Royals have been complicit with American enemies.
Language authored by Weiner in this year's Foreign Operations Appropriations prohibits the United States from providing any aid to Saudi Arabia. However, the bill allows the president to waive the prohibition if he certifies that the Saudis have been cooperative in our war on terror.
A new report issued by the Government Accountability Office this week stated that the U.S. has been unable to control terrorist funding due to a lack of leadership and resources. And a report completed last year by the Council on Foreign Relations said that if the U.S. cannot cut off direct funding to terrorists, the U.S. government should eliminate aid to individual countries, such as Saudi Arabia, that are known to support terrorist groups. In May 2005, a Washington Post report identified 70 percent of suicide bombers on Islamic extremist websites and 61% of Arab martyrs in Iraq as Saudi.
In sworn testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on November 8, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Daniel L. Glaser indicated that Saudi-based international NGO's like the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) - which has ties to the Saudi royal family, Wahhabism, Hamas, and Al Qaeda - can send money abroad without restrictions possibly aiding terrorist organizations. He said that, "We remain deeply concerned about this issue" and that "on counterterrorist financing, the Saudis need to do more."
In a letter to President Bush, Weiner and 9 other members of Congress wrote:
"Saudi support for terrorist groups from Hamas to Al Qaeda directly contradicts your assertion that Saudi Arabia is cooperating with the war on terror. We request that you hold the Saudi's accountable for the danger they pose to the American people and pledge not to sign another waiver that would send taxpayer dollars to Saudi coffers."
Signatories to the letter include Reps Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Steve Israel (D-NY), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Timothy H. Bishop (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA),Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY).
Congressman Anthony D. Weiner
