The Obama administration last year notified Congress of more than $100 billion of potential arms sales, shattering the old record of $75 billion. The Middle East accounted for the bulk of the potential sales.

Volume 1, Number 29

The initial 30-day clock for Congress to review the $60 billion U.S.-Saudi arms deal expires next week. Although some members of Congress have promised to fight it, lawmakers will have little time to muster a joint resolution of disapproval required to stop it at this stage, should they want to do so. Nonetheless, the unprecedented size of this deal warrants Congressional hearings and greater oversight.

Although the United States retained its place as the world’s top arms supplier, its share of conventional arms agreements dropped in a shrinking 2009 global market, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report.

Despite strong objections from China, the Obama administration on Jan. 29 unveiled an arms deal with Taiwan worth $6.4 billion. The deal, versions of which have been under consideration since 2001, includes 60 UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, 114 PAC-3 missiles and their accompanying radar systems, two Osprey-class mine-hunting ships, 12 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and an array of advanced communications equipment.