Senators hope to force vote on arms sales to Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators are introducing more legislation aimed at increasing opposition to President Donald Trump’s Saudi Arabia policy.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a Democrat, and Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, a Republican, said in a statement Sunday they hope to force a vote on U.S. security assistance to Saudi Arabia, including arms sales, after a review of the kingdom’s human rights record.

This move follows the introduction of 22 bipartisan resolutions last week that aim to block an $8.1 billion arms sale that bypassed congressional review in May.

Anger has been mounting in Congress for months over the Trump administration’s close ties to the Saudis, and tensions were inflamed when Trump used an emergency declaration to sell the kingdom weapons that Congress had previously placed on hold.