The Senate has voted to end U.S. support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition’s war in Yemen.
If the legislation passes the House, it would be the first time lawmakers have invoked the decades-old War Powers Resolution to halt U.S. military involvement in a foreign conflict.
The bipartisan vote Wednesday is another strong rebuke of President Donald Trump’s support for Saudi Arabia, which has been a point of tension with Congress since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.
The White House has already threatened to veto the legislation, which it says is flawed and could undermine the fight against extremism. The measure is co-sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Mike Lee, R- Utah.
“The bottom line is that the United States should not be supporting a catastrophic war led by a despotic regime with an irresponsible foreign policy,” Sanders said on Wednesday from the Senate floor. He said a vote in favor of the measure would “begin the process of reclaiming our constitutional authority by ending United States involvement in a war that has not been authorized by Congress and is unconstitutional.”
The White House argued the premise of the resolution is flawed and that it would undermine the fight against extremism. U.S. support for the Saudis does not constitute engaging in “hostilities,” the statement said, and the Yemen resolution “seeks to override the president’s determination as commander in chief.”