2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against An Amendment That Would Suspend Saudi
Air Force Support Who Have Been Responsible For Civilian Casualties In
Yemen. In September 2021, Fitzpatrick voted against an amendment to
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 which would,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "suspend U.S. maintenance support
for Saudi air force units determined to be responsible for airstrikes
resulting in civilian casualties in Yemen." The vote was on adoption of
an amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of 223-204.
[House Vote 279,
9/23/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/23/21;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
114;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4350]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Require Reports Regarding Harassment Of
Saudi Nationals Within The U.S., Including Whether Saudi Diplomats
Tracked Other Saudi Nationals In The U.S., Whether Saudi Officials Were
Harrassing Journalist Jamal Khashoggi, And Whether The Intelligence
Community Warned Khashoggi Of Any Threats. In April 2021, Fitzpatrick
voted for the Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act of 2021 which would,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "require multiple reports to
Congress related to intimidation or harassment of Saudi nationals in the
United States, including on whether Saudi diplomatic officials in the
U.S. used diplomatic credentials or facilities to facilitate harm to or
monitoring, surveillance, or harassment of other Saudi nationals in the
country; whether any Saudi official engaged in a consistent pattern of
intimidation or harassment against journalist Jamal Khashoggi or other
individuals in the U.S.; and whether and how the U.S. intelligence
community fulfilled its duty to warn Khashoggi of threats against him."
The vote was on passage." The House passed the bill by a vote of 350-71.
[House Vote 130,
4/21/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/21/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1392]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against An Amendment That Would End U.S.
Military Logistical Support For Saudi Aerial Strikes Against Yemen, End
Intelligence Sharing And End All U.S. Efforts To Help Saudi-Led
Coalition Forces In Yemen. In September 2021, Fitzpatrick voted
against an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2022 which would, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"terminate U.S. military logistical support and transfer of spare parts
to Saudi warplanes conducting aerial strikes against the Houthis in
Yemen. It would also permanently end intelligence sharing that enables
offensive strikes and any U.S. effort to command, coordinate,
participate in the movement of, or accompany Saudi-led coalition forces
in the war in Yemen." The vote was on adoption of an amendment. The
House adopted the amendment by a vote of 219-207. [House Vote 278,
9/23/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/23/21;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
113;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4350]
2022: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Temporarily Limited Arms
Sales To Saudi Arabia And Required Several Reports On The Death Of
Journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In July 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for en bloc amendments no. 4 to the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which would, in
part, "impose temporary limits on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and require
various reports and actions related to the death of Saudi Arabian
journalist Jamal Khashoggi." The vote was on the adoption of amendments.
The House adopted the amendments by a vote 277-150. [House Vote 334,
7/14/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/14/22;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
271;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
7900]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Temporarily Limit Arms Sales To Saudi
Arabia, Unless The President Were To Certify To Congress That Saudi
Arabia Has Not Exiled, Harmed, Or Killed Dissidents, Has Not Unjustly
Incarcerated U.S. Citizens Or Residents, And/Or Has Not Tortured
Detainees. In April 2021, Fitzpatrick voted for the Protection of
Saudi Dissidents Act of 2021 which would, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "prohibit, for 120 days, the sale, licensing or transfer of
any defense article or services from the U.S. to an intelligence,
security or law enforcement agency of the government of Saudi Arabia. It
would permit such activities to resume if the president certifies to
Congress that Saudi Arabia, in the previous 120 days, has not forced the
repatriation, intimidation or murder of dissidents in other countries;
unjustly imprisoned U.S. citizens or permanent residents in Saudi
Arabia; or tortured detainees in its custody. It would provide
exceptions to the prohibition related to the defense of Saudi Arabia
from external threats and the defense of U.S. personnel and facilities
in Saudi Arabia." The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by
a vote of 350-71. [House Vote 130,
4/21/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/21/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1392]
H.R. 1392 Would Prohibit The Sales Of Defense Services To Saudi
Agencies, Unless The President Were To Certify That Saudi Arabia Has
Not Participated In Human Rights Violations Such As Repatriation,
Silencing Or Murdering Dissidents. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "One of the measures (HR 1392), which was approved by
voice vote as part of an en bloc package, would prohibit the
transfer of defense articles or services to a Saudi intelligence,
internal security or law enforcement agency, unless the president
certifies that the Middle Eastern country hasn't conducted any
activities that constitute forced repatriation, silencing or killing
of dissidents in other countries, among other human rights
requirements." [Congressional Quarterly,
3/25/21]
The Restriction On Arm Sales Would Have An Exception To Saudi
Territory Defense Or U.S. Military Or Diplomatic Facilities Defense
In Saudi Arabia. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The
committee adopted a Meeks substitute amendment to the bill that
would specify an exception if the military equipment is for the
defense of Saudi Arabian territory or U.S. military or diplomatic
personnel or facilities in the country." [Congressional Quarterly,
3/25/21]