A previous attempt to cut off military assistance to Riyadh under the War Powers Resolution, sponsored by the independent senator Bernie Sanders, Democrat Chris Murphy and Republican Mike Lee, was blocked in March this year by a 55-44 margin.
But several senators who voted to shelve the resolution then have since changed their mind, including Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate foreign relations committee, and Bob Corker, the committee chair.
Both senators have called for the administration to make a formal judgment on Prince Mohammeds involvement in the Khashoggi murder and renewed calls for Haspel to appear on Wednesday.
The briefings are lacking because theres no one from the intelligence community there. That says to me that you are specifically trying not to have the key question asked, Menendez said on Monday according to DefenseNews.
Ive laid in the railroad tracks in the past to keep us from blocking arms to Saudi Arabia, Corker told reporters. Im in a real different place right now as it relates to Saudi Arabia.
The timing of the vote on the Saudi resolution is unclear. Sanders has said there is support for holding it this week. The Republican majority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, can try to postpone it, but cannot put it off indefinitely, as any measure under the War Powers Resolution has privileged status and cannot be stopped from going to the Senate floor for a vote.