{"id":14205,"date":"2018-10-24T16:32:40","date_gmt":"2018-10-24T16:32:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/10\/24\/us-house-bill-would-close-door-on-saudi-arms-sales\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:53:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:53:04","slug":"us-house-bill-would-close-door-on-saudi-arms-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2018\/10\/24\/us-house-bill-would-close-door-on-saudi-arms-sales\/","title":{"rendered":"US House bill would close door on Saudi arms sales"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 A bipartisan group of 21 House lawmakers have introduced a bill to immediately stop all military sales and aid to Saudi Arabia\u2019s government<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill<\/a>, led by Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., came as President Donald Trump said the killing of a Saudi journalist was a botched operation and his administration has taken its first steps in punishing the Saudis by deciding to revoke the visas of the suspects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Halting arms sales could have repercussions for the U.S. defense industry, which considers Saudi Arabia a lucrative overseas market. Trump, who initially<\/a> touted Saudi leaders\u2019 claims of innocence as \u201ccredible\u201d and opposed cutting arms sales, has played up $110 billion in prospective deals with the kingdom, which he spearheaded last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among other sales, the action leaves vulnerable Lockheed Martin Corp.\u2019s potential $15 billion sale to Saudi Arabia of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system<\/a>. The deal, started under the Obama administration and approved by Congress, remains under negotiation, according to U.S. officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Lockheed\u2019s earning\u2019s call Tuesday, Chief Financial Officer Bruce Turner said the THAAD order was the \u201clargest order that we\u2019ve been waiting,\u201d but it \u201chas not taken place yet,\u201d and he was \u201cnot sure when that will take place.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calls in the U.S. Congress to punish Riyadh for journalist Jamal Khashoggi\u2019s apparent death at the hands of Saudi government operatives are growing louder. American lawmakers are considering three avenues in response , including sanctions<\/a>, stopping U.S. arms sales and cutting aid to Saudi-led military operations in Yemen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notable co-sponsors of McGovern\u2019s House bill include House Armed Services Committee members, Walter Jones, R-N.C.; Ro Khanna, D-Calif.; Jackie Speier, D-Calif., and Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii. The libertarian leaning Reps. Justin Amash, of Michigan, and Thomas Massie, were the only other Republican co-sponsors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnder both Democratic and Republican Administrations, I\u2019ve called for a serious review of our arms sales to the Saudi government,\u201d McGovern, ranking member of the House Rules Committee, said in a statement. \u201cWith the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, it\u2019s time for the United States to halt all weapons sales and military aid to Saudi Arabia. Our democratic values are on the line here \u2013 and we need to step up as a country and do the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t