Democratic Senators Introduce Resolution to Block U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Agreement
U.S. PoliticsWell-covered
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The Facts
- Sens. Jeff Merkley and Edward Markey introduced a joint resolution of disapproval on the U.S.-Saudi nuclear agreement.
- The proposed agreement would allow Saudi Arabia access to U.S. civilian nuclear energy technology.
- The resolution sets up a potential Senate vote after Nov. 29.
- Congress has a 90-day review period before the agreement can enter into force.
- The agreement can take effect unless Congress adopts a joint resolution blocking it.
- Merkley and Markey say the agreement lacks safeguards against nuclear-weapons proliferation.
- The resolution faces difficult prospects in the Republican-controlled House.
Context
What is a “123 agreement”?
It is a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement authorized under Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954. Anadolu Ajansı
What are the senators seeking to change?
They argue that the agreement should include restrictions on fuel enrichment and reprocessing, along with rigorous inspections, to reduce the risk of weapons development. Hill gorgenewscenter.com
Can Congress stop the agreement?
Congress can seek to block it through a joint resolution of disapproval during the review process; otherwise, the agreement can enter into force after 90 days. Anadolu Ajansı Hans India gorgenewscenter.com
Where Left and Right agree
Left and right largely agree on this one.
- What both sides accept
- Both sides say Congress must affirmatively act to block or require proof before the U.S.-Saudi nuclear deal takes effect, not let it pass by default.
- Where Left and Right differ in emphasis
- The left and the right agree Congress must act, but differ on why defaulting to approval is wrong.
- Watch for
- Watch for the Senate vote on the joint resolution of disapproval that Merkley and Markey have set up for after Nov. 29.The Hill, Anadolu Ajansı
How left and right read it
Allowing Saudi Arabia access to U.S. civilian nuclear technology should demand proof it won't be diverted into weapons, not a default that lets the deal proceed unless Congress acts. Merkley and Markey say that proof is missing, warning the agreement lacks safeguards against proliferation—an abandonment of longstanding protections. Congress should use its 90-day review to demand that proof before the agreement ever takes effect.
“A pair of Democratic senators moved on Thursday to block the nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia, arguing that the Trump administration had abandoned longstanding safeguards” — The New York Times
American nuclear technology is a sovereign asset, so handing another government access to it should require Congress to affirmatively say yes — not merely fail to say no. Yet the agreement enters force after the 90-day review unless a joint resolution blocks it, which is why the vote Merkley and Markey have teed up after Nov. 29 matters even against hard odds in the House. Deciding by default is not deciding.
A 90-day countdown lets the Saudi nuclear deal pass by silence. Left and right agree that default should never count as consent.
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Independent coverage (10)
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