The Senate voted unanimously Thursday to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the death of dissident Jamal Khashoggi.
The voice vote in favor of the measure followed roll-call passage of a measure that would end U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
The resolution reads that the Senate “believes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.”
It also calls on Saudi Arabia to “ensure proper accountability” for those involved in his death, enact social reforms that include the release of women’s rights activists, and seek a cease-fire in Yemen.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker introduced the resolution Thursday blaming the crown prince for Khashoggi’s Oct. 2 slaying and calling for a peaceful end and less U.S. support in the Yemen civil war.
Corker’s resolution is an effort to enable the Senate to send a message to both the Saudi crown prince and President Trump, who angered both Republicans and Democrats by refusing to rebuke the crown prince for Khashoggi’s killing.
“This is a strong statement,” Corker said. “I think it speaks to the values we hold dear. I’m glad the Senate is speaking with one voice, unanimously, toward this end.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., a co-sponsor, said the measure sends “a clear and unambiguous message about how we feel about what happened to this journalist.”
Khashoggi was a dissident but also a columnist at the Washington Post.
