Press Releases

Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), former President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reintroduced the Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act. The legislation would hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and Connolly’s constituent, and impose a cost to Saudi Arabia for continuing to engage in such acts of intimidation and violence going forward. The Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act has previously passed the House three separate times and is the only Saudi accountability legislation to receive overwhelming bipartisan support.

“Five years ago, my constituent Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered and dismembered at the direction of the Saudi Crown Prince," said Connolly. "Justice for Jamal demands a complete re-evaluation of the U.S. relationship with the Kingdom. The Protection of Saudi Dissidents Act will do that.”

Prohibit arms sales—regardless of the amount—to Saudi intelligence, internal security or law enforcement for 120 days, and for every 120 days thereafter until Saudi Arabia meets certain human rights conditions; Require a report on whether Saudi authorities engaged in intimidation or harassment of Jamal Khashoggi or any individual in the United States; Require the review and potential closure of Saudi diplomatic facilities if they are being used to surveil Saudi nationals living in the United States; and Require the Intelligence Community to report on whether it fulfilled its duty to warn Khashoggi of an impending threat against him.

The legislation is cosponsored by the following Representatives: Adam Schiff (D-CA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Susan Wild (D-PA), and Steve Cohen (D-TN). 

Text of the legislation is available here.