Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) issued the following statement on her votes supporting two bipartisan resolutions prohibiting the Trump administration’s planned $23 billion arms sale package to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The resolutions, introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and cosponsored by Senator Paul (R-Ky.) and Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), would prohibit the sale of elite F-35 fighter planes, MQ–9B “Reaper” drones, and other advanced technology and munitions to the UAE.
“This arms sale would give some of America’s newest technology away without sufficient review of the consequences. The outgoing Administration has not followed the proper process for arms sales review with this package, nor has it provided Congress with a timely opportunity to evaluate the details of this sale. I cannot support this package while key questions remain, including how this sophisticated U.S. technology will be protected from our adversaries, and how the deal could impact Israel’s future. President-elect Biden deserves the right to review this deal and assess its merits, as does the incoming Congress.”
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