The Senate voted 53-47 Tuesday to clear a potential $510 million deal for the U.S. to sell precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, Defense News reported Tuesday.The deal is part of a $110 billion weapon sales package that President Donald Trump signed with Saudi King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud in May.
Senators also voted against a resolution that seeks to block the $510 million transaction a day after Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) supported the proposed measure.
Schumer opposed the munitions sale on the grounds that Saudi Arabia continues to aid terrorism through its link to Wahhabism, which he said is “responsible for much of the radicalization of Muslim youth in the Middle East in North Africa.â€
Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and Al Franken (D-Minnesota) sponsored the resolution, which sought to show disapproval of Saudi Arabia’s role in the civil war in Yemen.
