House Democrats Introduce Resolution to Block US-Saudi Nuclear Deal

A group of senior House Democrats introduced a resolution of disapproval on Thursday aimed at blocking a civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the Trump administration and Saudi Arabia. The lawmakers cited significant concerns that the pact lacks sufficient nonproliferation safeguards.

Proliferation Concerns Raised

The primary objection from the Democrats, including House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, is the agreement's failure to prohibit Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium or reprocessing nuclear waste. These processes are potential pathways to developing a nuclear weapon. In a statement, the lawmakers noted that the United Arab Emirates agreed to these stricter prohibitions, known as the "gold standard", in its 2009 nuclear deal with Washington.

"A region already gripped by conflict and escalation does not need another nuclear power," Representatives Meeks, Brad Sherman, John Garamendi, and Don Beyer said in a joint statement. The Trump administration maintains that the proposed deal contains all nonproliferation measures required by U.S. law.

Billions at Stake for Nuclear Firms

The proposed 30-year nuclear deal represents a major commercial opportunity, valued at tens of billions of dollars. The agreement centers on the construction of AP1000 reactors, a project that would directly benefit the U.S. nuclear firm Westinghouse.

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Westinghouse is jointly owned by Canada-based uranium producer Cameco (CCJ) and asset manager Brookfield Asset Management (BAM). The legislative challenge from Democrats introduces a significant hurdle and uncertainty for the large-scale project.

Legislative and Political Hurdles

President Trump sent the proposed agreement to Congress in August, triggering a 90-day review period under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. If Congress does not pass a resolution of disapproval within that timeframe, the deal automatically goes into effect. However, the House is now in recess until after the November 3 midterm elections, making the timeline for a potential vote unclear.

Historically, while many such resolutions have been introduced over the years, no resolution of disapproval concerning a civil nuclear cooperation agreement has ever successfully passed Congress. Lawmakers have also called for the full text of the agreement, including any classified "side letters," to be made public. The administration has suggested the deal is contingent on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel, but congressional aides report this is not a formal condition within the agreement's text.