Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released the following statement on President Trump claiming an emergency with Iran to avoid congressional approval for an arms sale to Saudi Arabia:

“I’m appalled that President Trump is using emergency authority to bypass the necessary approval of Congress for an $8 billion Saudi-arms sale. I’m unaware of any threat from Iran that requires an emergency declaration to sell these weapons.

“This package would provide 120,000 tail kits to modify conventional bombs to precision munitions so that the Saudi-led coalition can continue to bomb medical facilities, civilian infrastructure and innocent men, women and children in Yemen.

“It also includes mortars, rockets, anti-tank missiles, unarmed UAV’s, missile defense parts, aircraft engine parts and support, aircraft maintenance support, and other miscellaneous items to continue the miserable war in Yemen.

“The president is bypassing Congress on a technicality to provide this huge trove of weapons and military supplies to a government that murdered a US resident and journalist in its own consulate in Turkey by a handpicked group of assassins. What civilized nation would kill a man seeking permission to marry inside of a protected diplomatic facility?

“To this day, the Trump administration has done nothing to punish Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince bin Salman for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Until that happens, I won’t support any arms sales to Saudi Arabia and will do everything possible to block this one.”

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