By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) - Senate Democrats on Tuesday introduced legislation to stop a U.S. arms sale to Saudi Arabia worth $1.4 billion in a tactic supporters said was aimed at pressuring the OPEC country to increase its oil output.

"We are saying that we need real relief and we need it quickly. You (Saudi Arabia) need our arms, but we need you to cooperate and not strangle American consumers," said Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat.

The resolution to disapprove the Saudi arms sale package that the Bush administration outlined in December and January could be voted on in coming days, timed for U.S. President George W. Bush's trip to the kingdom this week.

The move also came as Democratic and Republican lawmakers scurried in this election year to show voters they are trying to do something about rapidly rising gasoline prices.

The Senate voted 97-1 to suspend oil deliveries to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in the hope of putting more oil onto the market and lowering the price at the pump slightly. The House of Representatives was expected to pass the measure later in the day, despite opposition from Bush.

If the Senate were to pass the legislation killing the Saudi arms sale, it still would have to be approved by the House and signed by Bush to become law. It is unlikely Congress could overturn a likely Bush veto.

But Senate Democrats made no secret that their real motive was to pressure Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer and most influential member of OPEC, to increase output that has fallen off in recent years.

In 2005, the Saudis produced 9.55 million barrels of oil per day. The kingdom's output fell to 9.15 million barrels a day in 2006, and then dropped to 8.72 million barrels per day last year.

Schumer told reporters that Democrats hoped that with the legislation "hanging over their heads," Saudi Arabia would "do a lot more than they have done before. The bottom line is energy prices are burning a hole in every American's wallet and pocketbook."

Bush last visited Saudi Arabia in January, when he called on OPEC to increase its production. That plea was largely ignored and since then oil prices have risen more than $30 a barrel to a record of nearly $127.

The proposed U.S. arms sale to Saudi Arabia includes communications systems, bomb kits, support equipment for aircraft and other advanced weapons that the administration hopes would help balance Iran's growing military profile in the region.

Congress can try to block arms sales until they actually are delivered to a foreign country. (Editing by Christian Wiessner)

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