The chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee called on the U.S. to freeze all cooperation with Saudi Arabia on Monday, as outrage in Washington against the Saudi government continues to grow after the oil-rich country joined Russia in cutting oil production.
The power to alter U.S.- Saudi relations is held by Sen. Bob Menendez.
The senator from New Jersey said in a statement that he will block any weapons sales to Saudi Arabia.
A group of oil- producing countries including Russia agreed last week to cut production in order to boost crude oil prices.
Russia will be able to finance its war in Ukraine because of rising oil prices, even as Europe and other Western countries stop buying Russian oil and gas.
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is able to veto any arms sales to foreign countries.
The relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia has been criticized in recent years, but cutting it off would be a major change since President Joe Biden traveled to the country in July.
A growing chorus of mostly Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to respond to the production cut by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
The price of international benchmark crude was $96 per barrel while the price of U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate was $91 per barrel, each up more than 20% year to date. Inflation in the U.S. has reached its highest level in more than 40 years due to higher gas prices.
Schumer said last week that Saudi Arabia aided and abetted Putin in his war against Ukraine. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill earlier this year designed to hinder the alliance by removing OPEC's immunity to antitrust laws. There isn't a plan in place to bring the bill to the floor soon.
The Saudi government bankrolled the new, Trump-aligned PGA Tour competitor, LIV Golf, which signed some of the most prominent American golf players away from the PGA Tour. The tournament in Saudi Arabia will be the first of its kind.
The Democrats vow to block weapons sales after Saudi Arabia cut oil.
There is a reason gas prices are going back up.
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