Political Quotes

“I rise to begin the debate in support of 22 resolutions of disapproval and ask my colleagues to join me in asserting congressional prerogative over arms sales to foreign governments and to say unequivocally that our security partnership with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, or any other nation is not a blank check. On May 24, the Secretary of State attempted to bypass this body in order to push through 22 separate arms sales to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, claiming an ill-defined emergency regarding Iran. Make no mistake. Iran continues to be a threat to U.S. interests in the Middle East. It continues to jeopardize the greater stability of the region. It has been rightly designated a state sponsor of terrorism. I think it is safe to say that no one in this body has been tougher on Iran than I. But we must ask whether the administration's actions are making us safer from Iranian threats or actually putting us more at risk. Does this administration have a strategic, maximum pressure campaign in place to address Iran's nuclear capabilities or its destructive behavior or is the Trump administration's only plan to turn the Middle East into a pressure cooker with no release valve? I fear it is the latter. Let me address the resolutions at hand, highlighting just a few. Arms sales are a critical national security tool, and reviewing and approving them are core functions of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.…”