II 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3193 

To restrict nuclear cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 25, 2008 

Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. ENSIGN) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To restrict nuclear cooperation with the Kingdom of Saudi 

Arabia. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 Congress finds the following: 

5 (1) On May 16, 2008, Secretary of State 

6 Condoleezza Rice and Minister of Foreign Affairs of 

7 the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Saud al-Faisal bin 

8 Abdulaziz al-Saud signed a Memorandum of Under9 standing between the Government of the United 

10 States of America and the Government of the KingVerDate Aug 31 2005 01:48 Jun 27, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3193.IS S3193

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1 dom of Saudi Arabia Concerning Cooperation in Nu2 clear Energy and Other Energy Fields. 

3 (2) This Memorandum of Understanding de4 clared an intent to cooperate in developing ‘‘appro5 priately-sized light water reactors and fuel service 

6 arrangements for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’’ as 

7 well as ‘‘civilian nuclear energy training, infrastruc8 ture and human resource development’’. 

9 (3) Saudi Arabia possesses vast energy re10 sources, including the world’s largest proven reserves 

11 of oil. 

12 (4) Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in a na13 tional natural gas distribution pipeline which will 

14 serve as the backbone of Saudi Arabia’s national 

15 electricity generation system for decades to come. 

16 (5) Questions about the need for oil-rich na17 tions in the Middle East to acquire the equipment 

18 and expertise to generate nuclear power have been 

19 raised in the past, notably in 2004, when Vice Presi20 dent Dick Cheney said, ‘‘[Iran is] already sitting on 

21 an awful lot of oil and gas. No one can figure out 

22 why they need nuclear, as well, to generate energy’’. 

23 (6) Saudi Arabia possesses even greater petro24 leum resources than does Iran. 


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1 (7) The development of nuclear energy tech2 nologies by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not 

3 appear to have a compelling economic rationale, par4 ticularly because Saudi Arabia has additional indige5 nous energy advantages besides petroleum reserves, 

6 such as an average of more than 300 days of expo7 sure to full sunlight every year, giving it a rich solar 

8 electricity generation potential. 

9 (8) The proliferation of nuclear technology in 

10 the Middle East will increase that region’s insta11 bility, and prevent the establishment of a durable 

12 and lasting security framework. 

13 SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

14 Congress— 

15 (1) affirms the strong and historic ties between 

16 the Government of the United States of America 

17 and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Ara18 bia; 

19 (2) disapproves of the Memorandum of Under20 standing between the Government of the United 

21 States of America and the Government of the King22 dom of Saudi Arabia Concerning Cooperation in Nu23 clear Energy and Other Energy Fields signed by 

24 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Minister of 

25 Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 


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1 Saud al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud on May 16, 

2 2008, at Riyadh; and 

3 (3) reiterates that the United States is com4 mitted to the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons 

5 and to preventing the acquisition of nuclear weapons 

6 by the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

7 SEC. 3. RESTRICTION ON NUCLEAR COOPERATION WITH 

8 THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA. 

9 (a) RESTRICTION ON NUCLEAR COOPERATION

10 AGREEMENT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 

11 law or any international agreement, no agreement for co12 operation between the United States of America and the 

13 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pursuant to section 123 of the 

14 Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2153) may enter 

15 into force on or after the date of the enactment of this 

16 Act. 

17 (b) RESTRICTION ON EXPORTS OF NUCLEAR MATE18 RIALS, EQUIPMENT, OR TECHNOLOGY.—Notwithstanding 

19 any other provision of law, including specifically section 

20 121 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2151), 

21 no nuclear materials and equipment or sensitive nuclear 

22 technology, including items and assistance authorized by 

23 section 57 b. of such Act (42 U.S.C. 2077(b)) and regu24 lated under part 810 of title 10, Code of Federal Regula25 tions, and nuclear-related items on the Commerce Control 


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1 List maintained under part 774 of title 15, Code of Fed2 eral Regulations, shall be exported or reexported, or trans3 ferred or retransferred, whether directly or indirectly, and 

4 no Federal agency shall issue any license, approval, or au5 thorization for the export or reexport, or transfer or re6 transfer, whether directly or indirectly, of these items or 

7 assistance (as defined in this subsection) to the Kingdom 

8 of Saudi Arabia if the end user is a nuclear production 

9 or utilization facility, or if the President determines that 

10 the material, equipment, technology, or item may be di11 verted for use in such a facility. 

Æ 


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