In the wake of a $1.15 billion arms sale announced in August 2016, Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced S.J.Res. 39, a joint resolution of disapproval to block the sale. Senators Al Franken (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) cosponsored the resolution. In a statement Paul said, “Saudi Arabia is an unreliable ally with a poor human rights record. We should not rush to sell them advanced arms and promote an arms race in the Middle East.” Murphy added that “in Yemen, this is not seen as a Saudi bombing campaign.This is seen as a U.S. bombing campaign.” As stated in the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, the Senate can force an up-or-down vote on the arms sale 10 days after the bill’s introduction. Notably, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) opposes the resolution, saying the bill’s goal was “not relevant” to the concerns over Saudi Arabia’s behavior in yemen, adding, “At this point, I don’t think it’s helpful to countermand the president.”
On August 29, sixty-four Members of Congress sent a bipartisan letter to the White House, stating, “Past Congressional concerns about Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen have not been addressed… This military campaign has had a deeply troubling impact on civilians.” The letter called for the administration to remove its congressional notification of the sale in order to allow for additional debate.
According to a report published by William Hartung, over the course of the Obama administration, the United States has sold $115 billion worth of military and arms materials to the Saudis.
If approved, this sale will be the third deal between the two nations that has gone toward aiding the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. A Defense Security Cooperation Agency statement outlined the deal: “The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats and provide greater security for its critical infrastructure. The addition of these tanks and recovery vehicles… will enhance Saudi Arabia’s ability to support its soldiers in the field and to defend the Kingdom’s borders.”
According to one U.N. estimate, sixty percent of the casualties in the Yemeni civil war have been the result of Saudi airstrikes since their campaign began in March 2015. It has also displaced approximately three million people.