The story

The Bush administration said Monday it notified Congress of plans to sell $20 billion in sophisticated arms to Saudi Arabia. The deal includes the proposed sale of 900 "joint direct attack munitions" worth close to $120 million, said U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack.

Arriving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for talks with King Abdullah, Bush delivered a proposed weapons sale that is part of a U.S. strategy to beef up security of its Persian Gulf allies to counter threats posed by Iran's rising influence in the region.

Sen. Joseph Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the committee would examine the deal. Read full article »

CNN's Elise Labott also contributed to this report.

All About George W. Bush • Iran • Saudi Arabia