Welch, House Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Halt Military Aid and Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia

Press Release

As the world awaits the response from the Saudi government on the disappearance and apparent murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Rep. Peter Welch (D.-Vt.) yesterday joined Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Ma.) and seven House colleagues in introducing legislation to halt military aid and the future sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.

"For too long the United States has blindly supported a Saudi Government engaged in a horrific campaign against the people of Yemen," said Welch. "And now we learn that the Saudis were, at a minimum, complicit in the murder of a journalist who was critical of the Saudi regime. It is long past time to stop military assistance and the sale of arms to this brutal dictatorship."

The legislation would prohibit U.S. military aid and arms sales to the Government of Saudi Arabia until the U.S. Secretary of State determines that Jamal Khashoggi is alive and free. If the Secretary of State determines that Mr. Khashoggi was killed by agents of the Saudi government, military aid and arms sales would remain prohibited pending congressional approval of further aid or sales.

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