Proposed Bill Aims To Tighten Up Congressional Reviews On Big US Arms Sales - Congressman

(UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th October, 2018) Proposed legislation introduced after the Khashoggi affair erupted would align House of Representatives review procedures on US international arms sales with those already applied by the US Senate, Congressman Ted Lieu said in a press release.

"Today, Congressmen Ted W. Lieu and Jim McGovern introduced the Arms Sale Oversight Act, which would align House procedures for reviewing major arms sales with existing Senate procedures under the Arms Export Control Act," the release said on Friday.

The bill makes it possible for any congressmen to force debate on the House floor in the event that the House Foreign Affairs Committee does not debate a contested arms sale, the release explained.

Lieu explained that at a time where arms sales with countries like Saudi Arabia are worthy of intense Congressional scrutiny, congressmen should not face roadblocks to doing our jobs.

"Like our Senate colleagues, we should have the opportunity to thoroughly evaluate and debate arms sales," Lieu said.

President Donald Trump after his May 2017 visit to Saudi Arabia said agreements had been reached for Riyadh to purchase $110 billion of US arms, but so far the amount bought appears to be around $14 billion.