Democrats in the United States House of Representatives expressed concerns on Thursday about President Donald Trump's nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia and announced that they have passed a resolution to block the implementation of this agreement.
Details of the Agreement and Reactions
President Trump sent this proposed agreement to Congress in August, allowing lawmakers a 90-day period to comment on it and, if necessary, to introduce a resolution of disapproval.
Democrats and supporters of non-proliferation have criticized this agreement for not preventing Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium and processing nuclear waste, both of which are potential pathways to nuclear weapons. The United Arab Emirates adhered to such measures known as the "gold standard" in its nuclear agreement with Washington in 2009.
Concerns About Nuclear Weapons Proliferation
Four Democrats, including Greg Meeks, a representative from New York and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Brad Sherman and John Garamendi from California, and Don Beyer from Virginia, stated in a statement: "A region currently embroiled in conflict and escalating tensions does not need another nuclear power."
The Trump administration has stated that this agreement includes non-proliferation measures that are legally binding. However, it is unclear whether Saudi Arabia can achieve this agreement without normalizing relations with Israel. Trump has said that this agreement will only be implemented if Riyadh takes steps to normalize relations, but congressional aides say that nothing in the agreement mentions this issue.
Members of Congress have also called for the release of all details of this agreement, including classified "side letters" that have been reached with Saudi Arabia. The timing of the House vote on this resolution is still unclear. Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, sent members of Congress home until after the midterm elections on November 3.
Additionally, while Congress has passed multiple resolutions of disapproval over the years, none of the resolutions regarding nuclear energy or civilian nuclear cooperation have ever successfully passed through Congress.
According to Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, peaceful nuclear cooperation agreements automatically go into effect after 90 days unless Congress passes a resolution of disapproval.
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