Congress is trying yet again to end U.S. involvement in the Saudi/Yemen conflict that has resulted in some of the worst humanitarian disasters of the new century.
The House Armed Services Committee voted last week to add language to a defense authorization bill that would ban President Trump from providing material support to Saudi Arabia as they commit brutal war crimes in Yemen. The amendment passed by a 31-25 margin.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) pushed the same measure last year to no avail. Khanna authored this amendment and his staff noted that it gained quite a bit of momentum since the last time it was proposed.
“Two years ago, a similar amendment to end US refueling of Saudi-led coalition planes only received 19 votes,” said Geo Saba, Khanna’s legislative director. “We will work tirelessly to keep it in the final bill as it moves to conference in an effort to help bring an end to the war.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is championing the amendment in the Senate, although he is being blocked by high-ranking Republican hawks on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“A bipartisan majority of the US Senate has already voted three times … to halt all US military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen,” Sanders said on the Senate floor.
“It is time for us to do that again. This time not just in words, but in action: No money going toward US participation in this horrible war, which is destroying a nation of some of the poorest, most desperate people in the world,” he added.
Liberty Conservative News reported last year on the measure to end U.S. involvement in the Saudi/Yemen conflict that was ultimately vetoed by President Trump:
“President Donald Trump has capitulated to neocons in his administration by vetoing a resolution that would end U.S. military involvement in the Yemeni Civil War.
Another blow to the America First non-interventionism, Trump has slowly lost control of his foreign policy and has let neocons and Saudi Arabian interests dictate his moves.
The bill, H.J.Res.37, passed both chambers of Congress but does not have enough votes to override Trump’s veto. This legislation would have used the War Powers Resolution to end all foreign aid doled out to Saudi coalition fighting against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Trump defended this decision, stating that “This resolution is an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities, endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service members, both today and in the future.”
Senators like Mike Lee and Rand Paul courageously stood up for a restrained foreign policy by voting for this resolution. They have been two of the fiercest opponents of this action in Yemen.
A few months ago Lee tweeted, “If the Pentagon insists on perpetuating a senseless, unauthorized war first launched by President Obama…to appease Saudi Arabia, the White House must persuade majorities of the House and Senate to approve of U.S. hostilities against Yemen’s Houthis.”
Paul has made clear that he will continue drafting legislation to end this conflict.
The Kentucky Senator said “I will continue to press for legislation to stop the Saudi arms sales and the war in Yemen.”
This veto has been disheartening for America First advocates.”
President Trump needs to remember that he was elected to put Americans first, not put Islamic Saudi butchers first.
