Blumenthal, Khanna introduce bill to halt US arm sales to Saudi Arabia for one year

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (Calif.) introduced a bill on Tuesday that would suspend all U.S. arm sales to Saudi Arabia for one year. 

Blumenthal and Khanna proposed the legislation in response to the decision by OPEC+, of which Saudi Arabia is a leading member, to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. 

OPEC+ is made up of the 13 OPEC member countries plus 11 nonmembers, including Russia, that coordinate their oil-exporting policies with OPEC. 

As most of Europe has worked to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s invasion, the Kremlin has sought to increase economic pressure by cutting off its supply of natural gas to the rest of the continent. 

If passed, the legislation would prohibit the exportation of munitions containers, weapon support, support equipment, spare and repair parts, technical and logistical support services, and related “elements of logistical and program support.” 

Blumenthal and Khanna wrote an op-ed in Politico on Sunday calling on Congress to cut off arm sales to Saudi Arabia until it ends its “embrace” of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Democrats have slammed Saudi Arabia over the OPEC+ decision, which is expected to raise gas and oil prices even as inflation and supply issues linger.

President Biden visited Saudi Arabia in July to ask Saudi officials to increase oil production to help alleviate some of the effects of Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has limited European access to energy.

Blumenthal and Khanna said in their op-ed that Saudi Arabia could not easily find a new supplier for weapons, which gives the United States leverage.