U.S. Senate to vote on blocking $ 8.1 billion in Saudi arms sales

President Donald Trump's administration took an extraordinary step by circumventing Congress to approve the sale of aircraft maintenance, ammunition and other weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the transfer of existing weapons to Jordan

Washington:

The U.S. Senate will vote on Thursday on whether to block $ 8.1 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies, a lawmaker said, as lawmakers ' indignation at the kingdom grows.

Robert Menendez, the largest Democrat on the Senate Foreign relations Committee, said that Republican-led Senate President Mitch McConnell had agreed to allow the vote on the 22 arms sales that critics say would worsen the devastating war in Yemen.

"I would like to thank the bipartisan group of co-sponsors of these resolutions, the majority leader and our staff for diligently working on this unprecedented process," Menendez told the Senate on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump's administration took an extraordinary step by circumventing Congress to approve the sale of aircraft maintenance, ammunition and other weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the transfer of existing weapons to Jordan.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said his government was responding to an emergency caused by Iran, its historical rival, Saudi Arabia, which supports the Huthi rebels in Yemen.

Senators, including some Republicans, have said that there is no legitimate reason to circumvent Congress, which has the right to disapprove of arms sales.

But Congress will still have a hard time getting a two-thirds vote to overcome Trump's potential veto.