U.S. Congressional Opposition to Arms Sales to Sudan
In September 2008, working closely with HRF’s Washington DC office, Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and James Inhofe (R-OK) joined sixteen other senators to introduce Senate Resolution 660 calling on arms suppliers-particularly China and Russia-to cease their sales of arms to Sudan immediately. The resolution also noted that such sales violate the Darfur arms embargo and called for the UN arms embargo to be expanded to cover all of Sudan. The Senate passed it unanimously on September 27, 2007.
On September 18, 2008, Representatives James McGovern (D-MA), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), and Brad Miller (D-NC) introduced House Resolution 1462, the House companion to Senate Resolution 660. H. Res. 1462 similarly condemns ongoing sales of arms to belligerents in Sudan, including the Government of Sudan, and calls for both a cessation of such sales and an expansion of the UN embargo on arms sales to Sudan. As of October 2008, it has 30 co-sponsors.
Senate Resolution 660 sent a strong signal to states continuing to sell arms to Sudan that the U.S. Senate opposes such sales. The House resolution, once passed, will amplify the message.