(CNN) A bipartisan group of lawmakers voted Thursday to halt the Trump administration's push to circumvent Congress and expedite $8.1 billion in arms sales to Gulf countries by declaring an emergency. Trump is expected to veto the package of resolutions of disapproval and Thursday's votes were far short of the two-thirds of the chamber needed to overrule the President. Still the demonstration is a symbolic showing of the opposition -- including from within Trump's own party -- to the administration's relationship to Saudi Arabia, following the killing of Jamal Khashoggi last year. "If the Senate wants to show the world that, even if you are an ally you cannot kill with impunity, this is the moment. And stand up for the proposition that we won't let our bombs fall upon innocent civilians and have the moral responsibility which will be a blemish on our history for years to come," Menendez said.

Source: CNN June 20, 2019 17:37 UTC