Senator Murray reintroduced her Values in Arms Export Act, which would restore Congressional authority over weapons sales, and create more oversight to prevent United States weapons going towards human rights violations
Senator Murray’s bill would designate Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates each as a “country of concern,” subject to enhanced monitoring of any arms deals with the United States—both countries could also be subject to a potential arms sale ban and sanctions under Murray’s bill
Senator Murray: “Simply put, U.S. weapons should not be being used to commit war crimes, and it’s time Congress re-asserted its authority over international arms sales to prevent that.”
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee, re-introduced the Values in Arms Export Act of 2022, legislation to restore Congressional authority over arms sales, and prevent U.S. arms from being used to violate the laws of war and human rights. Senator Murray first introduced the legislation last Congress.
The legislation comes after the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has killed hundreds of civilians, including 40 children on a school bus, 155 people in a funeral hall, and 97 in a market. As recently as two weeks ago, a Saudi-led coalition carried out an air strike that killed at least 80 people and injured more than 250 according to Doctors Without Borders. Advanced weapons, provided by the U.S., were implicated in all of these attacks, and these are just some of many examples. Meanwhile, while regulating foreign commerce, such as the trade in arms, is the prerogative of Congress, recent administrations, particularly the Trump Administration, have brazenly ignored Congress and Congressional oversight when conducting arms sales.
“Simply put, U.S. weapons should not be being used to commit war crimes, and it’s time Congress re-asserted its authority over international arms sales to prevent that,” said Senator Murray. “But far too often—especially under the previous administration—Congressional authority, and our moral responsibility to uphold human rights around the world, has been ignored. The American people don’t want to see U.S. weapons used to commit war crimes against kids or innocent civilians. It’s time we strengthen the role of Congress in future arms deals and keep our weapons out of the wrong hands.”
Senator Murray’s Values in Arms Export Act of 2022 amends the Arms Export Control Act to specify the principles of responsible behavior and compliance with human rights and law of war the U.S. demands of states purchasing U.S. weapons. To enforce these principles, the bill creates a mechanism where the Executive Branch, Congress, or a newly created Human Rights and Law of War Oversight Board can each designate a country as a “country of concern” if the country is violating those principles. A designation would last for three years and the country would be required to submit to a program of enhanced monitoring.
If a country: commits further violations during the three-year period; is designated a second time within a ten-year period; or fails to make sufficient progress in reforms, the country would be banned from arms sales for ten years. The Treasury Department would be required to impose sanctions on officials responsible for the offenses. The bill would provide a mechanism for early termination of the ban, but only after an arduous process of remediation and accountability, that would be subject to Congressional approval.
The new Human Rights and Law of War Oversight Board would have significant oversight and policy responsibilities. In addition to the authority to make designations, the Board would be empowered to conduct its own investigative and oversight work, monitor compliance, and assess new policies to ensure respect for human rights and law of armed conflict remain central considerations in the future.
The bill would also require assessments of the risk of weapons being used to commit human rights and law of war violations before a sale or export license can be approved. Finally, the bill makes the first initial designations, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Senator Murray is also an original cosponsor of Senator Bob Menendez’s (D-NJ) Safeguarding Human Rights in Arms Exports Act, and is committed toworking with Senator Menendez and the rest of her colleagues to re-assert congressional authority over arms deals and create greater oversight over potential human rights abuses using U.S. weapons.
See a one-pager on the bill HERE.
See legislative text of the bill HERE.
###
English 
Spanish