Senate for information on Saudi Arabia that could determine the sanctions

Senators are waiting for a briefing from senior officials of the Trump administration on Saudi Arabia, who could determine whether Congress will take sanctions against it. 39, a long-time American ally.

Two congressional sources said that a "briefing of all senators" is expected when the Senate returns to Washington after the Thanksgiving break.

The meeting could determine whether it is possible to adopt a sanctions law or block a major arms sale to Saudi Arabia during the end-of-year session.

"It will be really important," said a Senate assistant for the GoGs. "I'm not sure that the addition of sanctions will occur, but the situation in Saudi Arabia is not over."

The subject of the meeting is the civil war in Yemen, where a Saudi coalition backed by the US military is fighting against the Houthi rebels.

However, the topic of Saudi Arabia's role in the assassination of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi will also be addressed during the meeting, as well as a discussion on US-Russian policy, said a second source of the Congress.

The source said Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoFormer Bush Hayden, CIA chief, hospitalized after a stroke. Gabbard says that being a "bitch" of Saudi Arabia is not "America's first" Romney sends Trump, Pompeo's response to the Saudis: "incoherent" with "American size" PLUS will probably hold the information meeting even if it has not been finalized yet.

A State Department spokesman said the department had nothing to report on Pompeo's program. The Department of Defense did not return a request for comment.

Senate advisers warn that the adoption of Saudi legislation on sanctions during a lame session will be a "heavy burden" due to the opposition of President TrumpDonald John TrumpThe European Amazon workers go on strike for the Black Friday GOP takes a step forward with Hispanics in Florida Romney is organizing a fundraising event for the CAP: report.

The Kazakh president warned on Tuesday that oil prices could skyrocket if relations with Saudi Arabia deteriorated as a result of Khashoggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.

On Wednesday, Trump thanked the kingdom, an influential member of OPEC, for the price of oil falling to $ 54 a barrel. The president also insisted Thursday on maintaining strong relations with the Saudis, while addressing reporters from his seaside resort of Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where he spent his Thanksgiving holiday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump calls for full funding as part of "major border security package" Whitaker's message provides many tools to disrupt Mueller Trump's investigation urges McConnell to take action on Bill criminal justice. (R-Ky.) Warned his colleagues that speaking time will be limited during the last session of the year and that his main priorities are the adoption of an agricultural bill and the bill of expenditure year-end.

Even the draft law on criminal justice reform, which is supported by Trump, may not have the time to speak.

However, GOP Senators are increasingly putting pressure on the administration to take a firmer stand with respect to Saudi Arabia and its de facto leader, the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The CIA reportedly concluded last week that the Crown Prince was responsible for killing Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate. On Tuesday, Trump refused to blame the Crown Prince for Khashoggi 's death, claiming in a long statement that "maybe he' s done it and maybe it 's not going to happen. has not "ordered the assassination while touting the kingdom as an" unshakeable partner ".

Sen.-elect Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyRomney will host the CAP fundraiser: report from The Hill's 12:30 Report: The AAA predicts a busy trip since 2005 | Superb statement by Trump in Saudi Arabia | E. coli contamination of romaine lettuce | Fudge approves Pelosi | The end of year celebrations in the BC Romney denounce Trump, Pompeo's answer to the Saudis: "incoherent"; with US size & # 39; (R-Utah) was among the last GOP senators to criticize the president when he said Tuesday night that Trump's statement on US-Saudi relations was "incompatible with a persistent foreign policy, with our national interests , with fundamental human rights and with the United States. size. "

According to Trump's statement, GOP party aides reacted immediately to Democrats and several key Republicans, including the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. Bob CorkerRobert (Bob) Phillips CorkerRomney will organize a fundraiser for PAC: report the legislator on Demens Demoming on Trump's defense in Saudi Arabia: "You can not buy a moral compass", but you can "buy a president". The Hill's Morning Report – Key Decisions Require for Trump After Thanksgiving PLUS (R-Tenn.), Raised the momentum for sanctions legislation.

"This statement of yesterday has only worsened the situation in some respects for the administration," said a Senate assistant to the GOP.

Corker criticized the White House for its moonlighting "as a public relations company" for Crown Prince and Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamTrump urges McConnell to follow up on a criminal justice bill. Trump's Five Foreign Policy Challenges Hill Report's Morning – Key Decisions Wait Trump After Thanksgiving PLUS (RS.C.), usually a convinced ally of Trump, warned that "our interest in national security is not to look away when it comes to the brutal murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi. "

At the same time, Democrats have been growing in criticism and calling on McConnell to table sanctions legislation in Parliament.

Corker and Sen. Bob Menendez (N.J.), the Democratic's top foreign affairs committee, sent a letter to Trump on Tuesday asking the administration to specifically investigate whether Crown Prince Mohammed was responsible for killing Khashoggi.

Senate advisers who are skeptical about the adoption of additional sanctions legislation indicate that the Corker-Menendez letter is the origin of the law on responsibility for human rights in the world, which would allow the administration to punish the Crown Prince. They argue that the administration does not need more authority to enact sanctions.

There is bipartisan support in the Senate behind Saudi Arabia's liability law and Yemen, which suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia, prohibit US planes from refueling Saudi planes in Saudi Arabia. the conflict in Yemen, impose sanctions on those responsible for the death of Khashoggi and demand a report on human rights. in Saudi Arabia.

Co-sponsors include Graham and Menendez with Sens. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsThe Democrats take Bloomberg seriously, but skeptical about his chances, Corker mocks the White House as the "public relations firm" of Saudi Crown Prince McConnell. Flake argues to protect Mueller probe PLUS (R-Maine) Todd YoungTodd Christopher YoungCorker mocks the White House as a "public relations firm" for a Saudi Crown Prince Legislation on privacy protection could provide a ground for congressional defense, newly divided – presented by Raytheon – border deployment peaked at 5,800 soldiers | Trump sanctions 17 Saudis for killing Khashoggi | Senators Propose Bill to Support Trump on Saudis | Paul's efforts to block the sale of arms in Bahrain fail MORE (Bark.), Jack ReedJohn (Jack) Francis ReedDem senator: Saudi statement of Trump is a "glittering window" on his "autocratic tendencies" Dems condemns Trump for siding with Saudi Arabia during the assassination of Khashoggi by Khashoggi stirs another unlikely quarrel MORE (D-R.I.) And Jeanne ShaheenCynthia (Jeanne) Jeanne ShaheenDems blames Trump for holding the torch in Khashoggi with Saudi Arabia. Senators postpone Russian presidential candidacy for Interpol. (D-N.H.).

Nevertheless, lawmakers who advocate for action are divided on the best approach.

Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulTrump thanks Saudi Arabia for falling oil prices: Corker mocks the White House as a "public relations firm" for Saudi Crown Prince Graham warns Trump not to look away on Saudi Arabia (R-Ky.), A member of the Foreign Relations Committee who criticized Trump's statement Tuesday to sound like "Saudi Arabia first", said it would be best to block the sale of Arms to Saudi Arabia 110 billion dollars instead of sanctions.

"I think sanctions are a way of pretending to do something," Paul told The Hill. "It's a way of showing firmness without being hard. Cutting the sales of weapons will make them wake up. In fact, their air forces would be grounded in two or three months if they did not have spare parts. "

GOP assistants said that the lack of a consensus plan on how to move forward in Saudi Arabia would make it more difficult to enact any sanctions legislation when it comes to the lame session.

"There are too many things that people want to do and it makes it difficult," said a GOP assistant.