American congressmen propose banning arms trade with Saudi Arabia

A pair of Democratic lawmakers are proposing the US halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to oil production cuts from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Richard Blumenthal penned an op-ed in Politico Sunday calling on Congress to cut off arms sales to the leading OPEC country until it reverses its “embrace” of Russian President Vladimir Putin, The Hill reports.

“Members of Congress are already talking about how best to respond. Some propose extending domestic antitrust laws to international commerce. Others propose reviving a GOP initiative to withdraw U.S. troops from Saudi Arabia. But that idea has failed previously given that the U.S. would rather have its own troops there than Russian or Chinese troops,” the lawmakers wrote.

“A simpler, far more urgent move to fortify U.S. national security would be to pause all U.S. military supplies, sales and other weapons aid to Saudi Arabia.”

Democrats excoriated Saudi Arabia over the OPEC decision, coming less than three months after President Biden visited Saudi Arabia, where he asked the country’s leaders to increase oil production to help counter the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine.