Jason Ditz / AntiWar.com & CODEPINK & World BEYON War – 2018-12-14 12:55:29
Senate Votes to End Support for Saudi War in Yemen
45 years after War Powers Act,
a first successful challenge
Jason Ditz / AntiWar.com
WASHINGTON (December 13, 2018) — In a vote on Thursday, the Senate passed S.J. Resolution 54, in a vote of 56-41. The resolution is a War Powers Act challenge to the unauthorized US involvement in the War in Yemen, and would require the US to cease its involvement, if a complementary bill passes in the House. 45 years to the day after the War Powers Act was passed, this is the first successful challenge.
Several amendments were also voted on, with most passing and added to the bill. Sen. Young’s (R-IN) amendment clarified that this bill includes a prohibition on refueling Saudi warplanes, as both the administration and opponents argued that didn’t count as war.
Sen. Cornyn (R-TX) offered and passed three amendments; two mandated reports be provided, and the third said that despite this bill not being about Israel, the opposition to the Yemen War wasn’t meant to oppose anything the US does with Israel.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) was the only one whose amendments didn’t pass, as both were designed specifically to undermine the bill. The first said that the US could stay in the war so long as they claim to be trying to “reduce civilian casualties,” while the second said the US could stay so long as they were fighting the Shi’ite Houthi movement. Both failed handily.
The [resolution’s passage] caps weeks of effort in the Senate, including multiple votes which were needed to advance the bill to the point where it would actually get a substantial debate and a vote of its own. The success of this challenge is historic.
And yet it is incomplete at this point. House efforts to challenge the Yemen War have repeatedly been derailed by the Republican leadership changing rules at the last minute to deny it a proper vote. This almost certainly means no House version will be entertained until January at the earliest, when the new Congress takes over.
The Trump Administration has loudly opposed this challenge to the Yemen War, arguing simultaneously that it’s not really a war and that US support for Saudi Arabia is so critical that it shouldn’t matter how bad the war is. Anger at the Saudis over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi is seen to have driven a lot of the last minute support for this bill.
ACTION ALERT:
Senate Votes to Block US Role in Yemen War
The CODEPINK Team
(December 13, 2018) — We are so happy to share this wonderful news with you. This afternoon, the Senate had their final vote on S.J.Res.54 — recommending an end US support for the Saudi-led war on Yemen. The outcome was 56 to 41 in favor!
We have been working to end the war on Yemen for years and today we are celebrating. This is a big step forward and is energizing. We are using this moment to step up our efforts to counter militarism everywhere: from deaths in Yemen to the devastating impact militarism has on the environment.
Add your name to our letter to Representative-Elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez thanking her for drafting the Green New Deal and suggesting some additions to it to acknowledge the existence of the US military as an environmentally destructive force, and the enormous US military budget (over 60% of discretionary spending) as a potential source of revenue for green initiatives.
To read Medea’s piece about the need for the Green New Deal to include a New Peace Deal, Click Here.
Today’s vote was a total rebuke of Trump and his administration’s alliance with the Saudi regime. Along with passing S.J.Res.54, the Senate also approved this afternoon a non-binding resolution recognizing that Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
This is an important moment and we must use this momentum. Sign our letter to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asking her to include a New Peace Deal in the Green New Deal and stay tuned for next steps to continue our work to end US involvement in the Saudi-led war on Yemen.
Towards peace,
Ann, Ariel, Brienne, Carley, Caroline, Jodie, Katie, Kelly, Kirsten, Lily, Mark, Medea, Nancy, Paki, Ryan, Sarah, Tighe and Ursula
ACTION ALERT:
INCLUDE A NEW PEACE DEAL IN THE GREEN NEW DEAL
CODEPINK
We love and wholeheartedly support Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal AND we suggest some additions to address the environmental impact of militarism and the bloated Pentagon budget as a source of revenue.
ACTION: Sign your name to our letter below!
Dear Congresswoman-Elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
We are thrilled with your draft of a Green New Deal and support it wholeheartedly. We would, however, like to suggest some additions to acknowledge the existence of the US military as an environmentally destructive force, and the enormous US military budget (over 60% of discretionary spending) as a potential source of revenue for the green initiatives this nation so desperately needs.
1. We suggest changing this:
The Plan for a Green New Deal (and the draft legislation) shall recognize that innovative public and other financing structures are a crucial component in achieving and furthering the goals and guidelines relating to social, economic, racial, regional and gender-based justice and equality and cooperative and public ownership set forth in paragraphs (2)(A)(i) and (6)(B).
to this:
The Plan for a Green New Deal (and the draft legislation) shall recognize that much of the 60% of discretionary spending now going into the environmentally destructive project of militarism can be moved to environmental protection, and that innovative public and other financing structures. . . .
2. We suggest adding this:
* a major transition away from the environmental destruction of war and war-preparations, including the closure of most of the US military bases abroad and within the United States and the thorough cleanup of the land and water in those locations.
To the following list:
The Plan for a Green New Deal (and the draft legislation) shall be developed in order to achieve the following goals, in each case in no longer than 10 years from the start of execution of the Plan:
* 100% of national power generation from renewable sources;
* building a national, energy-efficient, “smart” grid;
* upgrading every residential and industrial building for state-of-the-art energy efficiency, comfort and safety;
* decarbonizing the manufacturing, agricultural and other industries;
* decarbonizing, repairing and improving transportation and other infrastructure;
* funding massive investment in the drawdown and capture of greenhouse gases;
* making “green” technology, industry, expertise, products and services a major export of the United States, with the aim of becoming the undisputed international leader in helping other countries transition to completely carbon neutral economies and bringing about a global Green New Deal.
Thank you again for your fantastic initiative and we hope you are able to incorporate our suggestions.
[Signed]
ACTION ALERT: Thank the 56 Senators
Who Voted to End War on Yemen
World BEYOND War
(December 13, 2018) — Fifty-four US senators got this right. Click here to thank them.
For the first time ever, the US Senate has actually used the 1973 War Powers Resolution, forcing a vote and passing (56 to 41) a resolution to end a war. The resolution has a ridiculous, reprehensible, and illegal loophole in it about fighting al Qaeda. The House has just voted 206 to 203 not to take the same action. The President has threatened a veto.
But the path forward begins with celebrating and building on this remarkable precedent. Politicians have often tried to believe that ending unpopular wars would be unpopular if not condemned as a treasonous act of failing to “support the troops.” Now that 56 senators have done this, and we need them to do it again as soon as possible on this same war and several others, we need to thank and encourage them!
Here is the record of which senators voted which way. This action is emailing only those who voted against war, and can only send them emails from their constituents.
Here is the record of which House members voted which way
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
