Merkley and Markey introduce resolution to block US–Saudi nuclear deal
From the Energy digest for 2026-10-19
What happened: On October 19, 2026 (article timestamp 1:43 PM ET), ANS's Nuclear Newswire reported that Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) have introduced a Joint Resolution of Disapproval in Congress aimed at blocking the proposed civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia from going into effect. The article frames the introduction as the latest step in ongoing pushback against the deal.
What's genuinely new: A debut — a new storyline, not a development. On the record to date there is no thread on the US–Saudi civil nuclear agreement or on congressional efforts against it; this resolution is its first appearance. It is also a legislative step by its own terms: a resolution formally introduced, not one that has passed either chamber.
Watch: Whether the resolution draws additional co-sponsors and advances through committee and floor action, and the administration's position on the agreement itself.
Links: ANS Nuclear Newswire