U.S. lawmakers renew push for penalties against Saudi Arabia

Republican and Democratic U.S. lawmakers renewed their push on Thursday to penalize Saudi Arabia for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and address the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, introducing legislation to bar some arms sales and impose sanctions. The lawmakers, including Democrats Bob Menendez, Jack Reed, Jeanne Shaheen and Chris Murphy, and Republicans Todd Young, Lindsey Graham and Susan Collins, introduced the bill one day before the Feb. 8 deadline for President Donald Trump's administration to submit a report to Congress on responsibility for Khashoggi's death.

Congressional aides said they had been given no indication that the administration would meet that deadline. Among other things, the bill, similar to one introduced last year also with bipartisan support, would impose mandatory sanctions on anyone found responsible for the death of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and columnist for the Washington Post.

Besides putting new limits on weapons sales, it also would bar U.S. refueling of aircraft for the Saudi-led coalition engaged in the civil war in Yemen. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle Editing by Bill Berkrot)