Article snippet: WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration notified Congress on Friday that it is invoking a rarely used provision in federal law to bypass congressional review of arms sales to Saudi Arabia, two Democratic senators said. The administration is issuing an emergency declaration that will allow it to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and others despite congressional objections, according to Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. Menendez said the administration did not cite a specific legal or practical reason for using the provision in the Arms Export Control Act other than to cite threats from Iran. ‘‘I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritize our long term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia,’’ Menendez said in a statement. ‘‘President Trump is only using this loophole because he knows Congress would disapprove of this sale,’’ Murphy said in a statement. ‘‘There is no new ‘emergency’ reason to sell bombs to the Saudis.’’ U.S. officials had said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo could decide to invoke the provision as early as Friday. The State Department had no immediate comment. Congressional opposition to U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia has been growing, and lawmakers have blocked about $2 billion i... Link to the full article to read more