Democrats raise concerns over US-Saudi nuclear pact

Congressional Democrats signaled opposition to a nuclear pact the U.S. signed Wednesday with Saudi Arabia that provides a pathway to enriching nuclear fuel and commits Saudi Arabia to using U.S. firms to supply its reactors.

In announcing the deal, the Energy Department said it lays "the legal foundation for a decades-long, multibillion-dollar partnership that advances several priority economic and strategic objectives, including nuclear nonproliferation."

Once the Energy Department transmits the agreement to Congress, the Atomic Energy Act gives lawmakers 90 legislative days to adopt a joint resolution of disapproval or allow it to take effect automatically.

Democrats on relevant House and Senate committees told Semafor they already are approaching the Saudi deal with a high degree of skepticism, citing, among other issues, the Trump administration’s escalating conflict with Iran.

Rep. Greg Meeks, D-N.Y., ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Semafor he is "very concerned" about the deal.

He added that "the timing seems funny," and that the nuclear pact "seems as though it might be something that the Trump administration is doing to pay the Saudis to do something in the region."

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Semafor she believes the deal is "going to have to come before the Senate."

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who also sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, told Semafor he’s "pretty nervous" that the Saudi pact doesn’t meet the gold standard set by the U.S. nuclear agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

The UAE agreement, signed in 2009, included additional International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards for the country's civil nuclear program that are not expected to be part of the new U.S.-Saudi deal, according to Semafor.

"If it’s set up the way I think," said Kaine, the lack of added IAEA safeguards "will probably lead to some kind of vote about this."

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., another member of the Foreign Relations Committee, told Semafor such civilian nuclear deals "have to comply with the toughest nuclear nonproliferation standards … to avoid the risk of any country obtaining a nuclear weapon."

Van Hollen pointed to GOP opposition to his proposal to prohibit the Export-Import Bank from helping to fund any nuclear agreement that did not meet the highest possible standards.

"That was not a good signal, because it suggested that they’d be willing to support an agreement without adequate safeguards," Van Hollen said.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Semafor that the Saudi nuclear pact "has the potential to greatly destabilize the region" and put any durable nuclear truce with Iran further out of the administration’s reach.

Republicans signaled Wednesday they were already prepared to support the agreement.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., told Semafor he was "very happy" about the news since "working with Saudi Arabia is very important."

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., described Saudi Arabia as "a great ally."

Some Republicans are withholding judgment until they can review the agreement in full.

"When I get that … then I’ll offer an opinion on it," House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Brian Mast, R-Fla., told Semafor.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said: "I look forward to seeing the details of the agreement."