,,iia #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 ,j4 ,,res4 #dj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #f 7legislative day1 ,april #d71 #bjag ,mr4 ,murphy 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,paul1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 and ,mr4 ,franken7 introduced the following joint resolution2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,joint ,,resolution ,to provide limitations on the transfer of air-to-ground munitions from the ,united ,states to ,saudi ,arabia4 ,whereas the enduring security partnership between the ,united ,states ,government and the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia has historically served to preserve the stability of the ,arabian ,gulf region2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,government appreciates the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia's participation in the ,global ,coalition to ,counter ,,isil2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces provide dedicated personnel and assets to the armed forces of ,saudi ,arabia to defend its territorial integrity and support its ongoing military operations in ,yemen1 including over #a1ggh air-to-air refueling sorties1 and to assist with deliberate targeting to reduce collateral damage2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state has consistently urged all sides of the conflict in ,yemen to take all feasible precautions to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law1 which includes minimizing harm to civilians and differentiating between civilian infrastructure and military objectives2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state has consistently called on all parties in the conflict to accept the ,united ,nations drafted roadmap as a basis for negotiations to secure a comprehensive peace agreement that ends the conflict and allows humanitarian assistance to reach all ,yemenis2 ,whereas the ,panel of ,experts established pursuant to ,united ,nations ,security ,council ,resolution #badj 7#bjad7 reported on ,january #bb1 #bjaf1 that the military coalition led by the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia in ,yemen had conducted air strikes targeting civilians and civilian objects1 in violation of ,international ,humanitarian ,law1 including camps for internally displaced persons and refugees2 civilian gatherings1 including weddings2 civilian vehicles1 residential areas1 medical facilities schools1 mosques1 markets1 factories and food storage warehouses and other essential civilian infrastructure such as the airport in ,sanaa1 the port in ,hudaydah1 and domestic transit routes2 ,whereas the ,united ,nations ,panel of ,experts reported on ,january #bg1 #bjag1 that the military coalition led by the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia in ,yemen did not comply with international humanitarian law in at least #aj airstrikes that targeted houses1 markets1 factories and a hospital and that the ,panel considers it almost certain that the coalition did not meet international humanitarian law requirements of proportionality and precautions in attack2 ,whereas the ,united ,nations ,panel of ,experts reported on ,january #bg1 #bjag1 that ,houthi-,saleh forces routinely use torture and commit international humanitarian law violations and human rights abuses2 ,whereas in the course of the conflict in ,yemen1 the systematic and widespread blockade of commercial goods has directly contributed to the obstruction of deliveries of aid and humanitarian assistance1 while restricting vital imports of commercial fuel1 food1 and other goods2 ,whereas the ,washington ,post reported on ,february #bc1 #bjag1 that coalition airstrikes near the port city of ,hudaydah--the main entry point for food1 medicine and humanitarian aid into northern ,yemen--have slowed the delivery of supplies and exacerbated the misery2 ,whereas1 since #bjaj1 the ,president has submitted for review sales to ,saudi ,arabia of defense articles and services with a potential value of more than #aaj1jjj1jjj1jjj1 including a #a1bij1jjj1jjj sale of precision guided air-to-ground munitions that was notified to ,congress on ,november #ac1 #bjae2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,government has reduced over time its support to the ,saudi-led coalition1 in part due to concern with civilian casualties resulting from ,saudi airstrikes2 and ,whereas designated foreign terrorist organizations1 including al-,qa'ida in the ,arabian ,peninsula 7,,aqap7 and the ,islamic ,state of ,iraq and the ,levant 7,,isil71 which threaten the national security of the ,united ,states1 have significantly expanded the territory under their control in ,yemen since the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia began military operations in ,yemen on ,march #bf1 #bjae1 and stand to gain more strength and popular support amid a continuation of the conflict3 ,now1 therefore1 be it #a4 ,definitions ,in this resolution3 7#a7 ,air-to-ground munitions ,the term air-to-ground munitions means any ,united ,states bomb or missile designed as a ,category ,,iv item on the ,united ,states ,munitions ,list pursuant to section #ch 7a77#a7 of the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bggh 7a77#a774 7#b7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,senate4 7#c7 ,authorized sale ,the term authorized sale means any sale of ,united ,states defense articles or services authorized pursuant to the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgea et seq474 7#d7 ,designated foreign terrorist organizations ,the term designated foreign terrorist organizations means groups designated by the ,united ,states as foreign terrorist organizations pursuant to section #bai of the ,immigration and ,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aahi7 or ,specially ,designated ,global ,terrorists pursuant to ,executive ,order #acbbd 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agja note74 7#e7 ,proposed sale ,the term proposed sale means any sale notified to ,congress pursuant to subsections 7b7 or 7c7 of section #cf of the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bggf74 #b4 ,conditions of transfer 7a7 ,limitation ,no transfer to ,saudi ,arabia of ,united ,states air-to-ground munitions may occur until the ,president makes the certification described under section #c4 7b7 ,certification at time of ,congressional notification ,any notification to ,congress made on or after the date of the enactment of this resolution with respect to a proposed sale to ,saudi ,arabia of air-to-ground munitions shall be accompanied by the certification described under section #c4 #c4 ,conditions required prior to sale ,the certification described under this section is a certification by the ,president to the appropriate congressional committees as follows3 7#a7 ,the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia and its coalition partners are taking all feasible precautions to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and civilian objects to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law1 which includes minimizing harm to civilians1 discriminating between civilian objects and military objectives1 and exercising proportional use of force in the course of military actions it pursues for the purpose of legitimate self-defense as described in section #d of the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bged74 7#b7 ,the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia and its coalition partners are making demonstrable efforts to facilitate the flow of critical humanitarian aid and commercial goods1 including commercial fuel and commodities not subject to sanction or prohibition under ,united ,nations ,security ,council ,resolution #bbaf 7#bjae74 7#c7 ,the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia is taking effective measures to target designated foreign terrorist organizations1 including al ,qaeda in the ,arabian ,peninsula and affiliates of the ,islamic ,state of ,iraq and the ,levant as part of its military operations in ,yemen4 #d4 ,reporting requirements 7a7 ,reporting requirements ,prior to any transfer of ,united ,states air-to-ground munitions to ,saudi ,arabia pursuant to an authorized sale to ,saudi ,arabia of air-to-ground munitions or the notification to ,congress of a proposed sale to ,saudi ,arabia of air-to-ground munitions1 the ,president or the ,president's designee shall provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees4 ,the briefing shall include-- 7#a7 a description of the nature1 content1 costs1 and purposes of any ,united ,states support for the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia's coalition military operations in ,yemen on or after ,march #bf1 #bjae2 7#b7 an assessment of whether the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia's military operations in ,yemen on or after ,march #bf1 #bjae1 constitute legitimate self-defense2 7#c7 an assessment of whether the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia's coalition operations have deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure in ,yemen on or after ,march #bf1 #bjae1 and whether the armed forces of the ,government of ,saudi ,arabia and its coalition partners have taken all possible steps to comply with the rules of distinction1 proportionality1 and precautions1 as regulated by ,additional ,protocol ,i to the ,geneva ,conventions of #ab ,august #aidi1 and ,relating to the ,protection of ,victims of ,international ,armed ,conflicts1 done at ,geneva ,june #h1 #aigg2 7#d7 an assessment of whether the armed forces of ,saudi ,arabia have used ,united ,states-origin munitions in any attacks against civilians or civilian infrastructure in ,yemen on or after ,march #bf1 #bjae1 and the effect of such attacks on the ,united ,states credibility in the region2 7#e7 an assessment of the effect of ,saudi ,arabia's military operations in ,yemen on its ability to contribute to ,united ,states efforts to defeat al ,qaeda in the ,arabian ,peninsula and the ,islamic ,state of ,iraq and the ,levant2 and 7#f7 an assessment on how the transfer of major defense equipment to ,saudi ,arabia contributes to ,united ,states foreign policy and national security objectives in the region4 7b7 ,form of briefing ,the briefing required under subsection 7a7 shall be conducted in an unclassified forum but may be conducted in a classified setting as required4 #e4 ,sunset ,this resolution shall cease to have effect three years after the date of the enactment of this resolution1 unless renewed4