WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The highest Democrat on the U.S. Senate International Relations Committee stated he anticipated lawmakers would vote as quickly as subsequent week on resolutions in search of to dam Republican President Donald Trump’s $23 billion weapons sale to the United Arab Emirates.
“We are gathering support for it, and I would think some time next week,” Senator Bob Menendez informed reporters.
Menendez and two different senators – fellow Democrat Chris Murphy and Republican Rand Paul – introduced on Nov. 18 that they’d introduce measures in search of to halt the trouble to promote drones, F-35 plane and different weapons methods to the UAE.
The sale consists of merchandise from privately held General Atomics, Lockheed Martin Corp F-35s and missiles made by Raytheon.
Menendez stated he hoped extra Republicans would help the resolutions. It might take in depth help from members of Trump’s social gathering – who hardly ever break from the president – to go the resolutions and override an anticipated veto from Trump.
Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a international relations panel member and performing Intelligence Committee chairman, stated he had not but determined whether or not he would help the resolutions. Like different lawmakers, he stated he was left with unanswered questions after Trump administration briefings on the sale.
Rubio stated one among his considerations was how the sale to the UAE would have an effect on Israel, and one other concerned a matter he couldn’t focus on publicly.
The large sale might alter the steadiness of energy within the Center East, and members of Congress have chafed at Trump’s try and rush it via, having despatched a proper discover to Congress solely in mid-November.
Many lawmakers additionally fear about whether or not the UAE would use the weapons in assaults that might hurt civilians within the battle in Yemen, already one of many world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Modifying by Bernadette Baum
