WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) issued the following statement after the House passed his amendment blocking arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates through the President’s emergency declaration. In June, the House passed Congressman Lieu’s amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2020 on a bipartisan basis to block the execution of these 22 emergency sales. This NDAA amendment prohibits the Trump Administration from using funding from the previous year as a way to circumvent the stipulations in Congressman Lieu’s FY2020 Defense appropriations amendment.

“Trump’s fake emergency declaration to sell arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates without Congressional oversight has been denounced on a bipartisan basis. Our arms sales process was designed to include congressional review specifically to ensure that each case served U.S. interests. This Administration cannot avoid Congress, no matter how hard it tries. There’s no indication that these sales benefit the American public and, if they do, the Trump Administration is required to make its case to Congress. Our NDAA Amendment is Congress putting its foot down. The people have had no say in this arms deal, which is why Congress won’t let it happen.”

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