Efforts to tie Trump’s hands on Iran, Saudi Arabia hold up key defense bill
Congressional efforts to tie President Donald Trump’s hands on Middle East policy have helped stall negotiations as Democrats and Republicans struggle to pass annual spending and defense authorization legislation.
Congress’ efforts to constrain President Donald Trump’s activities in Iran and the Persian Gulf have stalled as Democrats and Republicans struggle to agree upon final defense authorization and spending legislation before the end of the year.
While the partisan gridlock largely centers around an agreement to fund Trump’s proposed US-Mexico border wall, several provisions on Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iraq have thrown further wrenches into the process. The numerous stumbling blocks have raised doubts as to whether Congress can even coalesce around final legislation this year.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., is currently negotiating with the White House and the Republican-held Senate to reach a compromise defense bill. Domestic issues aside, he has still not breached the gaping fissure between House and Senate leadership over Middle East war powers, arms sales and sanctions authorities.
“A lot of them have bipartisan support, but not enough bipartisan support,” Smith told reporters today. “For instance, the war powers stuff on Iran, that was a bipartisan bill.”
