Secrecy behind Saudi nuclear talks infuriates Congress

Authored by thehill.com and submitted by maxwellhill
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Congressional anger is growing over President Trump Donald John TrumpChelsea Handler says she went into therapy after Trump's win Will it take more deaths or disaster for Washington to fix immigration and border security? Conspiracy theorists keep their Ginsburg death claims alive MORE’s efforts to secure a nuclear energy deal with Saudi Arabia.

Lawmakers first became wary of the plans when the Saudis refused to accept limits preventing them from developing a nuclear weapon.

But that skepticism quickly turned to fury when it was revealed that the Trump administration gave approval for companies to share certain nuclear energy technology with the kingdom without a broader nuclear deal in place.

Lawmakers are now demanding answers. They particularly want to know whether any of the approvals came after the October murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

“First we want the information from [the Department of Energy], and we’re demanding it. We should get it,” said Sen. Bob Menendez Robert (Bob) MenendezThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Manafort sentenced to total of 7.5 years in prison Acting Defense chief calls Graham an 'ally' after tense exchange William Barr is right man for the times MORE (D-N.J.), the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “And I think it’s critical to know exactly how this happened, when it happened and particularly were you doing this after Khashoggi?”

Congress has been re-evaluating the U.S.-Saudi relationship since Khashoggi’s death, with lawmakers blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing.

Propelled in part by anger over Khashoggi’s death, Congress last week sent Trump a resolution that would end U.S. military support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen’s civil war.

Trump is expected to veto the resolution, making it the second veto of his presidency, and lawmakers are plotting their next steps to confront him for supporting the Saudis.

One potential avenue for expressing that anger is the administration’s nuclear talks with Riyadh.

House Democrats began investigating the administration’s nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia after the Oversight and Reform Committee announced in February it was launching a probe to “determine whether the actions being pursued by the Trump administration are in the national security interests of the United States or, rather, serve those who stand to gain financially as a result of this potential change in U.S. foreign policy.”

The investigation was launched in conjunction with the release of an interim report that included detailed allegations by unnamed whistleblowers that senior White House officials ignored warnings from legal and ethics advisers to stop pursuing the plan to sell nuclear reactors to Saudi Arabia.

The administration has been negotiating what’s known as a 123 agreement with Saudi Arabia that would allow U.S. companies to sell nuclear reactors to the kingdom.

Riyadh has resisted an agreement that includes prohibitions on enriching uranium and reprocessing spent fuel to produce plutonium — essential steps in producing nuclear weapons.

Crown Prince Mohammed has also vowed his country would obtain a nuclear weapon if rival Iran does.

Satellite images first reported by Bloomberg News this past week show Saudi Arabia is nearing completion of its first nuclear facility.

The administration argues a nuclear energy deal with Saudi Arabia is necessary because the kingdom will otherwise take its business to other countries, leaving U.S. companies in the lurch while doing nothing to prevent nuclear proliferation.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoTrump admin revokes visa of International Criminal Court prosecutor pursuing Afghan war crimes Overnight Defense: Lawmakers urge Trump not to veto Yemen resolution | Pentagon acknowledges civilian deaths in Somalia for first time | Pompeo 'confident' in third North Korea summit Pompeo 'confident' there will be third North Korean summit MORE on Friday was asked about the state of negotiations with Saudi Arabia but responded by criticizing the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran in 2015.

“I can’t tell you where the negotiations sit because they’re still ongoing. But make no mistake about it: We only wish that the previous administration had taken that threat seriously with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said in an interview with Norah O'Donnell on “CBS This Morning.”

Pressed on whether that makes it acceptable for Saudi Arabia to be a nuclear power, Pompeo said, “We will not permit that to happen.”

Congress has statutory review powers over 123 agreements and can block them once they are submitted to Capitol Hill.

But even as the agreement remains in the negotiation stage, Energy Secretary Rick Perry James (Rick) Richard PerryTrump administration should forget subsidies for coal, nuclear energy Overnight Defense: Pentagon chief expects Turkey to drop purchase of Russian missile system | Dems counter Trump's proposed cuts with B spending boost | Lawmakers press Perry on nuke work with Saudis Senators press Perry on nuclear work with Saudi Arabia MORE approved six authorizations that let U.S. companies share certain nuclear energy technology with Saudi Arabia. Such authorizations typically allow for sharing unclassified nuclear technology and services such as nuclear fuel fabrication, reactor designs and training for operating a nuclear facility, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The Daily Beast first reported the approvals, which Perry later confirmed to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Perry told senators the Saudi-related approvals were among 37 authorizations granted since 2017, including two for Jordan, and that it’s “something that goes on every day.”

He said details of the approvals were not shared publicly because the companies involved determined that doing so would divulge proprietary business information.

But lawmakers were outraged when they found out they were not told about the approvals, saying the secrecy violates the Atomic Energy Act, which requires that Congress be kept “fully and currently informed” of negotiations.

In a recent hearing with Pompeo, Rep. Brad Sherman Bradley (Brad) James ShermanTlaib unveils resolution to investigate Trump impeachment Pelosi, Dems look for upside to Mueller report #ReleaseTheReport goes viral after Mueller submits report to Justice Dept MORE (D-Calif.) said, “It appears that this is an end run around the law in an effort to achieve a policy.”

“If you cannot trust a regime with a bone saw, you should not trust them with nuclear weapons,” Sherman said, referring to a weapon used in Khashoggi’s killing.

Sherman and Rep. Ted Yoho Theodore (Ted) Scott YohoCongress can finally ensure horses are not tortured for ribbons and prizes Trump's decision on health care law puts spotlight on Mulvaney The 23 Republicans who voted against the anti-hate resolution MORE (R-Fla.) introduced a bill in late February that would require congressional approval of a 123 agreement with Saudi Arabia before it can take effect, as opposed to current law that says agreements go into effect unless Congress blocks them.

A companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Ed Markey Edward (Ed) John MarkeyMore than 30 Senate Dems ask Trump to reconsider Central American aid cuts Dem senator to introduce bill combating 'commercialization' of children's online lives Hillicon Valley — Presented by CTIA and America's wireless industry — House panel approves bill restoring net neutrality | FTC asks for more help to police tech | Senate panel advances bill targeting illegal robocalls MORE (D-Mass.) and Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioThe Hill's Morning Report - Can Joe Biden turn the page? Hillicon Valley — Presented by CTIA and America's wireless industry — House panel approves bill restoring net neutrality | FTC asks for more help to police tech | Senate panel advances bill targeting illegal robocalls Menendez, Rubio lead Senate effort to regulate Venezuelan sanctions MORE (R-Fla.).

Menendez and Rubio sent Perry a letter this past week demanding information by April 10 on his approval for the six authorizations by his agency.

The two senators previously asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the administration’s negotiations on a 123 agreement.

“The kingdom has engaged in many deeply troubling actions and statements that have provoked alarm in Congress and led lawmakers to begin the process of reevaluating the U.S.-Saudi relationship and our long-term stability and interests in the region,” the senators wrote to Perry. “We therefore believe the United States should not be providing nuclear technology or information to them at this time.”

IWasSayingBoourner on April 7th, 2019 at 17:54 UTC »

Remember when Clinton's supposed ties to Saudi Arabia were a point of contention?

EaseofUse on April 7th, 2019 at 17:15 UTC »

"We're only allying with the Saudi's because they'd get the support from China/Russia anyway, we're just waiting for the oil money to run out! Then we got'em!"

30 Years from now

"Well, of course we have to keep the Saudi's as our allies/fund their invasive wars/spread their brand of militant Wahhabism, they have nuclear weapons!"

ExcitingPush on April 7th, 2019 at 16:29 UTC »

House Democrats began investigating the administration’s nuclear talks with Saudi Arabia after the Oversight and Reform Committee announced in February it was launching a probe to “determine whether the actions being pursued by the Trump administration are in the national security interests of the United States or, rather, serve those who stand to gain financially as a result of this potential change in U.S. foreign policy.” The investigation was launched in conjunction with the release of an interim report that included detailed allegations by unnamed whistleblowers that senior White House officials ignored warnings from legal and ethics advisers to stop pursuing the plan to sell nuclear reactors to Saudi Arabia.

This sums it up. Doe anyone have any doubts?