Yemen measure stripped from US defense bill as Saudis up bombing
Rep. Ro Khanna's amendment would have barred US maintenance support and weapons sales that contribute to Saudi-led offensive strikes in Yemen.
US lawmakers have removed a measure from the annual defense spending bill that would bar the Biden administration from supporting Saudi-led coalition warplanes involved in bombing Yemen.
The amendment was introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). It passed the House in September with the support of the chair of the armed services panel, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) and intelligence committee chair Adam Schiff (D-CA).
The measure would also have barred the US from sharing intelligence with the Saudi-led coalition to assist offensive airstrikes in Yemen.
It would also have made it illegal for members of the US military to “command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany” Saudi and Emirati forces in their fight against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
