What This Bill Does
This resolution asks the Secretary of State to provide information about Saudi Arabia's human rights practices to Congress. The Secretary must deliver this statement within 30 days using information that follows a federal law called section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. The statement should be prepared with input from officials who handle democracy, human rights and labor issues.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of State is directly required to act. Congress members on the Committee on Foreign Relations in the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the House of Representatives will receive the information requested.
Key Provisions
* The Secretary of State must send a statement about Saudi Arabia's human rights practices to Congress within 30 days after the resolution is adopted (Sec. 1(a))
* The statement must include all credible information about alleged human rights violations by Saudi Arabia, including torture, execution for nonviolent crimes, discrimination against women, restrictions on religious freedom, forced disappearances, and denial of the right to life in the Yemen conflict (Sec. 1(b)(1))
* The statement must describe steps the U.S. government has taken to promote human rights in Saudi Arabia and to publicly or privately address harmful practices (Sec. 1(b)(2))
* The statement must assess whether extraordinary circumstances exist that require continuing military aid to Saudi Arabia despite human rights concerns (Sec. 1(b)(3))
* The statement must include assessments about whether U.S. military aid will be used in Yemen, how the U.S. monitors weapons use, and what actions the U.S. is taking regarding detained Americans and harassment of U.S. citizens (Sec. 1(b)(5))
What Changes
If this resolution passes, the Secretary of State becomes required to provide Congress with detailed information about Saudi Arabia's human rights record and the U.S. response to it.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
III
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. RES. 109
Requesting information on Saudi Arabia’s human rights practices pursuant
to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 15, 2023
Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Mr. LEE, and Mr. DURBIN) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
RESOLUTION
Requesting information on Saudi Arabia’s human rights
practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961.
Resolved,
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SECTION 1. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON SAUDI ARA-
2
BIA’S HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES.
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(a) STATEMENT REQUESTED.—The Senate requests
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that the Secretary of State, not later than 30 days after
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the date of the adoption of this resolution, transmits to
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the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and
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the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
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resentatives, pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign
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Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(c)), a statement
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•SRES 109 IS
regarding Saudi Arabia’s human rights practices that has
1
been prepared in collaboration with the Assistant Sec-
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retary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
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and the Office of the Legal Adviser.
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(b) ELEMENTS.—The statement submitted under
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subsection (a) should include—
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(1) all available credible information concerning
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alleged
violations
of
internationally
recognized
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human rights by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in-
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cluding—
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(A) torture and inhuman treatment of de-
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tainees;
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(B) execution of people for nonviolent of-
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fenses;
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(C) discrimination against women;
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(D) severe restrictions on religious free-
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dom;
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(E) forced disappearances;
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(F) transnational repression; and
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(G) the denial of the right to life in the
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context of the armed conflict in Yemen caused
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by indiscriminate or disproportionate oper-
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ations;
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(2) a description of the steps that the United
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States Government has taken—
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•SRES 109 IS
(A) to promote respect for and observance
1
of human rights as part of the Kingdom of
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Saudi Arabia’s activities, including in the con-
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text of the armed conflict in Yemen;
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(B) to discourage any practices that are
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inimical to internationally recognized human
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rights; and
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(C) to publicly or privately call attention
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to, and disassociate the United States and any
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security assistance provided for the Kingdom of
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Saudi Arabia from, any practices described in
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subparagraph (B);
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(3) an assessment, notwithstanding any prac-
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tices described in paragraph (2)(B), whether ex-
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traordinary circumstances exist that necessitate a
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continuation of security assistance for the Kingdom
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of Saudi Arabia;
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(4) if such circumstances exist, a description of
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the circumstances and the extent to which security
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assistance should be continued (subject to such con-
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ditions as Congress may impose under section 502B
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of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
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2304)); and
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(5) other information, including—
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•SRES 109 IS
(A) an assessment from the Secretary of
1
State of the likelihood that United States secu-
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rity assistance (as defined in section 502B(d) of
3
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
4
2304(d))) will be used in support of Saudi ac-
5
tivities related to the armed conflict in Yemen;
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(B) a description and assessment of the
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actions that the United States Government is
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taking to ensure end use monitoring protocols
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for all weapons sold or transferred to the King-
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dom of Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen;
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(C) an assessment of any impact or ad-
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verse effect to Israel’s qualitative military edge
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of security assistance provided by the United
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States or other countries;
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(D) a description of any actions that the
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United States Government is taking to address
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allegations of detention, torture, or forced dis-
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appearances of United States citizens by the
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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
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(E) a description of any actions that the
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United States Government is taking to deter in-
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cidents of intimidation or harassment by the
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Government of Saudi Arabia against United
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States citizens, individuals in the United States,
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•SRES 109 IS
and their family members who are not United
1
States citizens, whether living in Saudi Arabia
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or in the United States; and
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(F) a description of any actions that the
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United States Government is taking to prevent
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the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from aiding
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Saudi citizens accused of violent crimes in the
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United States to flee from the United States.
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Æ
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