[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 196 (Wednesday, December 12, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7512-S7513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4082. Mr. MERKLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the joint resolution S.J. Res. 54, to direct the removal of 
United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen 
that have not been authorized by Congress; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

     SEC. 2. REQUEST FOR A REPORT ON THE OBSERVANCE OF AND RESPECT 
                   FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOM IN 
                   SAUDI ARABIA.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) In July 2018, the Government of Saudi Arabia detained 
     prominent women rights activists Samar Badawi and Nassima al-
     Sada.
       (2) The United States Department of State presented Ms. 
     Badawi with the 2012 International Women of Courage Award in 
     recognition of her efforts with regard to the discriminatory 
     male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia.
       (3) The Department of State has declined to express 
     solidarity with the Government of Canada, which reacted 
     appropriately to news of the detention of Ms. Badawi and Ms. 
     al-Sada in expressing that it was ``gravely concerned about 
     additional arrests of civil society and women's rights 
     activists'' and calling upon ``Saudi authorities to 
     immediately release them and all other peaceful human-rights 
     activists''.
       (4) The Government of Saudi Arabia reacted 
     disproportionately to criticism by the Government of Canada 
     by taking extreme retaliatory measures, including--
       (A) expelling the Ambassador of Canada to Saudi Arabia and 
     recalling the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Canada;
       (B) ordering the return of citizens of Saudi Arabia living 
     in Canada, including more than 1,000 medical students;
       (C) shutting off new bilateral trade and investment with 
     Canada; and
       (D) terminating direct commercial flights on Saudi Arabian 
     air carriers between Saudi Arabia and Canada.
       (5) Canada is an indispensable ally in the North Atlantic 
     Treaty Organization that shares the commitment of the United 
     States to equal rights and the rule of law and, in defense of 
     shared interests and values, Canada has fought and sacrificed 
     alongside the United States in each of the World Wars and has 
     contributed to Missions of the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization in Afghanistan, the Balkans, Libya, and Central 
     and Eastern Europe.
       (6) The arrest of Ms. Badawi and Ms. al-Sada, as well as 
     the ongoing detention of countless others such as blogger 
     Raif Badawi and human rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair, is 
     part of a disturbing pattern of human rights violations 
     committed by the Government of Saudi Arabia, which are 
     documented in more than 50 pages of the 2017 Human Rights 
     Report of the Department of State.
       (7) Among the human rights violations by the Government of 
     Saudi Arabia documented in that report, are unlawful 
     killings, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, 
     restrictions on freedom of expression, violence and official 
     gender discrimination against women, and criminalization of 
     same-sex sexual activity.
       (8) The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for 
     Refugees assesses that airstrikes carried out by Saudi Arabia 
     and the United Arab Emirates in Yemen accounted for 80 
     percent of all civilian casualties from December 2017 to May 
     2018 in the 5 governorates of Yemen most affected by 
     fighting.

[[Page S7513]]

       (9) Section 502B(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 
     1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(a)(2)) states that ``no security 
     assistance may be provided to any country the government of 
     which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of 
     internationally recognized human rights''.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the President should offer public support to Canada by 
     calling upon the Government of Saudi Arabia to release Samar 
     Badawi, Nassima al-Sada, Raif Badawi, Waleed Abu al-Khair, 
     and all other peaceful human rights activists, journalists, 
     and religious minorities held in detention by that Government 
     on dubious charges; and
       (2) the arrest of women's rights activists and their 
     supporters since May 2018 is contrary to the stated goals of 
     the Government of Saudi Arabia.
       (c) Request for Report.--Congress requests, pursuant to 
     section 502B(c)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
     U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)), that the Secretary of State submit to 
     Congress a statement, as required by that section, setting 
     forth all the available information about observance of and 
     respect for human rights and fundamental freedom in Saudi 
     Arabia.
                                 ______