Senate Resolution Calls for End to US Support for Saudi War on Yemen

The Republican-led Senate passed the resolution on Wednesday by a 54 to 46 tally, seeking to halt any US military involvement in the conflict, including providing targeting support for Saudi airstrikes, without authorization from Congress.

Introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders, Mike Lee and Chris Murphy, the resolution will scale back the US role in and American military assistance for Saudi war on Yemen ahead of the fourth anniversary of the day when the Saudi-led coalition started its campaign against the impoverished nation.

The text now heads to the Democrat-led House of Representatives, which is expected to overwhelmingly pass the measure, possibly this month.

Bernie Sanders, a co-sponsor of the text, has called the Saudi war on Yemen a humanitarian and strategic disaster.

The resolution sets the foundation for what could become Trump’s first presidential veto, as White House advisers said earlier in the day that Trump would veto the resolution.

The Office of Management and Budget released a formal statement of administration policy that called the resolution "flawed" and suggested it could undermine the president's role as commander in chief. Advisers would suggest Trump veto the measure, the statement said.

The vote on the war powers resolution will be the second within four months in the Senate.

Supporters of the Yemen resolution have faced a long and grueling road to get the legislation onto the president’s desk. The Senate first passed the measure 56 to 41 in December, but then House Speaker Paul Ryan refused to take up the resolution.

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