Tulsi Gabbard / US House of Representatives & AntiWar.com – 2018-11-17 00:50:28
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard Calls on Congress to End
US Military Support of Saudi Arabia’s Genocidal War in Yemen
Tulsi Gabbard / US House of Representatives
WASHINGTON, DC (November 14, 2018) — Following a move by House Republicans to block a vote on bipartisan resolution (H. Con Res. 138), legislation that would have ended US military support for Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) today spoke on the House floor, urging Members of Congress to vote against the Republican rule and bring H. Con. Res. 138 to the floor for a vote.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is also co-leading a bipartisan letter urging Members of Congress to vote later today against this rule that prevents H. Con. Res. 138 from coming to the House floor for a vote.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said:
“Last night, House Republicans on the Rules Committee voted to undermine our democracy by blocking the American people and Members of Congress from having a debate and the ability to vote on a bill that would end US support for Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen — a war that has created the world’s worst humanitarian disaster in generations, leaving 22 million people in dire need of humanitarian aid, tens of thousands of civilians killed, and many more vulnerable to mass starvation, famine, and cholera.
“Don’t be fooled: If Congress and this Administration truly were concerned about the plight of the Yemeni people and peace, all US support for Saudi Arabia’s atrocities would end now. Instead, last night on the Rules Committee, Republicans voted to shut down debate and prevent a vote that would end US support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen.
“Now, later today, Congress has the opportunity to do the right thing. We are faced with a choice. I urge my colleagues to VOTE NO on H.Res.1142 so that Congress can fill our constitutional role, debate, and vote on this critical issue. It is long overdue that we end US complicity in Saudi Arabia’s atrocities. We must end all US support for Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen now.”
Background
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a leading voice for peace in Congress, advocating against counterproductive, regime-change wars. She has called for:
* ending support for Saudi Arabia,
* pushed for additional oversight on acquisition and cross-service agreements (Section 1271 of the FY19 NDAA),
* supported H. Con. Res. 81, a bipartisan resolution that sought to stop US military participation in Saudi Arabia’s war against the Houthis in Yemen,
* bipartisan resolution (H. Con Res. 138) to stop US military support for Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen,
* bipartisan legislation (H.R. 7082) to immediately stop all military sales and aid to the government of Saudi Arabia, and more.
Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Walter Jones also introduced H.Res 922, which would reclaim Congress’s constitutional right to declare war by:
* Defining presidential wars not declared by Congress under Article I, section 8, clause 11 (Declare War Clause) as impeachable “high crimes and misdemeanors”
* Prohibiting the President from perpetuating ongoing wars or supplying war materials, military troops, trainers, or advisers, military intelligence, financial support or their equivalent in association, cooperation, assistance, or common cause without first receiving congressional authorization
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) is a leading voice for peace in Congress, advocating against counterproductive, regime-change wars, and standing up for Congressional authorization before military action.
Most recently, she joined a bipartisan coalition of 88 Members of Congress urging President Trump to consult and receive authorization from Congress prior to ordering the use of US military force against Syria. She has also advocated for ending the regime change war in Syria and condemned US support of Saudi Arabia in the Yemen civil war.
Senate Rejects Sen. Rand Paul’s
Bid to Block Arms Sales to Bahrain
Bill seen as an effort to scale back Yemen War
Jason Ditz / AntiWar.com
WASHINGTON, DC (November 15, 2018) — In a 21-77 vote on Thursday, the Senate rejected a bill from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) aiming to block a $300 million arms sale to Bahrain. The bill was heavily opposed by the White House.
Bahrain is among the participants in the Saudi-led, US-backed war in Yemen, and failing to secure the arms deal might’ve obliged them to quit the conflict. This was seen as a major goal of the bill, to both pare back the Yemen War in general, and US involvement in supporting the invasion in particular.
Widespread killing of civilians and general war crimes in Yemen have some in Congress looking to get the US out of Yemen. There seems to be more support for this in the House, though the House leadership has twice changed rules at the last minute to prevent direct votes on US involvement in Yemen.
Today’s vote suggests that the Senate is still broadly in line with the administration’s priorities of increasing arms sales irrespective of the human rights consequences. Bahrain’s status as host of the US Fifth Fleet also had some senators arguing that the tiny island nation is simply too important to cross.
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