[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 102 (Thursday, June 15, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3529-S3530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Resolution of Disapproval

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise today to reiterate my support for 
the resolution of disapproval related to the sale of certain defense 
articles to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. While the resolution, 
unfortunately, did not pass the Senate in a recent vote, I believe its 
goals remain important.
  The Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen is fueling a humanitarian 
disaster. Over 10,000 people have died, and over 3 million people have 
been displaced as the conflict has exacerbated poverty, famine, and 
disease. According to UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, a 
cholera outbreak in Yemen could quadruple to infect 300,000 people in 
the coming weeks. Half of the current cholera cases affect children, 
and the ongoing conflict leaves few hospitals to turn to and almost no 
medical supplies.
  In addition to deaths related to famine and the outbreak of other 
diseases, we are seeing civilian casualties as a direct result of Saudi 
military action. Earlier this year at a Senate Armed Services Committee 
hearing, I asked General Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, 
which is responsible for the Middle East, to assess the cause of the 
large number of civilian casualties in Yemen. General Votel responded: 
``I attribute those type situations more to the competence of the 
forces that are operating there, and their ability to properly 
target.''
  I am concerned that even with the precision munitions the United 
States

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has sold to Saudi Arabia in the past, air strikes continue to hit 
civilian targets. The number of civilian injuries and deaths shows that 
there is simply not enough progress to reduce civilian casualties.
  I could not in good conscience vote to support providing advanced 
precision munitions--bombs capable of hitting targets guided by laser 
targeting or GPS--to a campaign conducted by forces unable or unwilling 
to limit strikes to targets of military necessity.
  Civilian casualties are a tragedy, and they threaten to make us less 
safe by radicalizing populations that otherwise would not be 
sympathetic to violent extremist groups like al-Qaida. It is critical 
that the U.S. military is certainly able to hunt down terrorists 
wherever they operate or wherever they seek haven.
  The deployment of remotely piloted aircraft has allowed for 
persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, which is 
used to minimize the risk of civilian casualties. When the U.S. 
military carries out air strikes, we know our men and women in uniform 
are the best trained in the world and are informed by the best 
available intelligence.
  Precision-guided munitions alone do not avoid preventable tragedies. 
It takes capable and fully trained personnel. This is what we must 
expect from our partners for the sake of innocent civilians caught in 
conflict zones and for our own national security. Failing to do so sets 
back the potential for a political solution.
  We simply should not send precision munitions or any weapons system 
to any partner with personnel who are not capable or trained to use 
them. That is why I supported the resolution of disapproval, which 
specifically objects to the sale of three specific types of precision-
guided munitions and related technology. While this measure failed, I 
will continue to work as a member of the Armed Services Committee to 
provide oversight and hold the Saudi Government and military 
accountable.