December 19, 2023
Dear Senators:
We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to call a vote on the U.S. relationship with the government of Saudi Arabia using the Senate’s privileged procedures under the Foreign Assistance Act, Arms Export Control Act, or War Powers Resolution. A public debate and vote is crucial in light of the Biden Administration’s Saudi arms sales notifications on September 21 and December 4 – likely in violation of Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act.
The Administration has been investing heavily in a deal with Saudi Arabia, raising significant concerns on multiple fronts:
NUCLEAR CAPACITY: It is alarming that the Biden administration is considering the transfer of nuclear technology to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s nuclear weapon ambitions. Without proper safeguards, this could contribute to a nuclear arms race in the region.
UNPOPULAR SECURITY GUARANTEES: A pact with Saudi Arabia could commit U.S. troops to defend Saudi Arabia, which recent polls show is opposed by the American people across the political spectrum.
HUMAN RIGHTS: Recent revelations that U.S.-trained Saudi border guards massacred Ethiopian migrants, the continued blockade of Yemen’s imports, and Saudi Arabia’s horrific human rights violations within its own borders, further warrant Senate action.
The president reportedly is yielding to demands by the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, for significant security commitments and arms sales to the government of Saudi Arabia. This is apparently happening without any notable demands for improvement in the Saudi government’s human rights practices, as evidenced by the sentencing to death of an 18-year-old student and a retired school teacher over peaceful tweets. The Saudi government has been restricting the flow of food, medicine and fuel into Yemen and impeded travel of Yemenis out of the country, including for medical treatment. Yet, the Biden Administration continues to negotiate security guarantees for Saudi Arabia that could require Senate advice and consent, as outlined by the Constitution.
SENATE ACTION NEEDED: The American public’s concern about security guarantees for Saudi Arabia is shared by our elected officials. In October, twenty senators wrote to the president expressing concerns about such a commitment.
The time is right to call a vote on the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Potential options for Senate action include:
The Senate should hold a vote so that the American people can have a say on the U.S.-Saudi relationship through their elected representatives in Washington.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to working with you to foster a more secure and peaceful world.
Signed,
National Organizations
Colorado
Veterans for Peace, Chapter 120, Boulder, Colorado
Connecticut
Middle East Crisis Committee
Florida
Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!
Maine
Peace Action Maine
Maryland
Baltimore Nonviolence Center
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Peace Action
Raytheon Antiwar Campaign
New Jersey
NJ State Industrial Union Council
New York
North Country Peace Group
Peace Action New York State
Peace & Social Justice Com, 15th St. Friends Meeting, NYC
South Country Peace Group, Inc.
Syracuse Peace Council
Western New York Peace Center
Pennsylvania
Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!
Vermont
Vermont Peace / Antiwar Coalition
Wisconsin
Madison-Rafah Sister City Project
Dear Senators:
We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to call a vote on the U.S. relationship with the government of Saudi Arabia using the Senate’s privileged procedures under the Foreign Assistance Act, Arms Export Control Act, or War Powers Resolution. A public debate and vote is crucial in light of the Biden Administration’s Saudi arms sales notifications on September 21 and December 4 – likely in violation of Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act.
The Administration has been investing heavily in a deal with Saudi Arabia, raising significant concerns on multiple fronts:
NUCLEAR CAPACITY: It is alarming that the Biden administration is considering the transfer of nuclear technology to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s nuclear weapon ambitions. Without proper safeguards, this could contribute to a nuclear arms race in the region.
UNPOPULAR SECURITY GUARANTEES: A pact with Saudi Arabia could commit U.S. troops to defend Saudi Arabia, which recent polls show is opposed by the American people across the political spectrum.
HUMAN RIGHTS: Recent revelations that U.S.-trained Saudi border guards massacred Ethiopian migrants, the continued blockade of Yemen’s imports, and Saudi Arabia’s horrific human rights violations within its own borders, further warrant Senate action.
The president reportedly is yielding to demands by the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, for significant security commitments and arms sales to the government of Saudi Arabia. This is apparently happening without any notable demands for improvement in the Saudi government’s human rights practices, as evidenced by the sentencing to death of an 18-year-old student and a retired school teacher over peaceful tweets. The Saudi government has been restricting the flow of food, medicine and fuel into Yemen and impeded travel of Yemenis out of the country, including for medical treatment. Yet, the Biden Administration continues to negotiate security guarantees for Saudi Arabia that could require Senate advice and consent, as outlined by the Constitution.
SENATE ACTION NEEDED: The American public’s concern about security guarantees for Saudi Arabia is shared by our elected officials. In October, twenty senators wrote to the president expressing concerns about such a commitment.
The time is right to call a vote on the U.S.-Saudi relationship. Potential options for Senate action include:
- A privileged joint resolution of disapproval to block the proposed Saudi arms deal pursuant to the section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act. This would require a vote within 30 days of the notification.
- Forcing a vote on S.Res.109, the privileged bipartisan Murphy-Lee-Durbin 502B human rights resolution on Saudi Arabia’s human rights practices and its war on Yemen, which Senators Warren and Sanders have co-sponsored.
- A separate privileged 502B resolution focused on the Saudi government’s massacres of Ethiopian migrants.
- A Yemen War Powers Resolution prohibiting U.S. military participation in airstrikes on Yemen.
The Senate should hold a vote so that the American people can have a say on the U.S.-Saudi relationship through their elected representatives in Washington.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to working with you to foster a more secure and peaceful world.
Signed,
National Organizations
- Action Corps
- American Muslim Bar Association
- Antiwar.com
- Avaaz
- Ban Killer Drones
- Demand Progress Action
- Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
- DSA International Committee
- Freedom Forward
- Health Advocacy International
- Hindus for Human Rights
- Just Foreign Policy
- MADRE
- Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal
- Muslim Counterpublics Lab
- Peace Action
- Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
- ReThinking Foreign Policy
- RootsAction.org
- STAND: the student-led movement to end mass atrocities
- The Libertarian Institute
- Tigray Human Rights Forum
- Veterans For Peace
- World Beyond War
- Yemeni Alliance Committee
- Yemeni Liberation Movement
- Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation
Colorado
Veterans for Peace, Chapter 120, Boulder, Colorado
Connecticut
Middle East Crisis Committee
Florida
Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!
Maine
Peace Action Maine
Maryland
Baltimore Nonviolence Center
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Peace Action
Raytheon Antiwar Campaign
New Jersey
NJ State Industrial Union Council
New York
North Country Peace Group
Peace Action New York State
Peace & Social Justice Com, 15th St. Friends Meeting, NYC
South Country Peace Group, Inc.
Syracuse Peace Council
Western New York Peace Center
Pennsylvania
Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!
Vermont
Vermont Peace / Antiwar Coalition
Wisconsin
Madison-Rafah Sister City Project
