Statement

The impeachment question before the Senate was a test of the power Congress and the American people are willing to give the president. The Senate’s vote to acquit Donald J. Trump of the impeachment charges cemented the reality of a profound partisan divide on this question. It sanctioned the president to use the power of the office to suit his needs, largely unchecked by Congress.

There was a time when the United States sought to portray itself as an honest broker for peace between Israelis and Palestinians; a seeker of solutions that would be acceptable to all sides. That role has virtually disappeared, as Congress and successive U.S. administrations sided unequivocally with Israel.

The foundation of our country is at stake—whatever the outcome is of the ongoing impeachment trial in the Senate.

As young adults, we only faintly remember what life was like before Sept. 11, if we remember at all. Since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, we have made it through elementary, middle, and high school. We’ve applied to colleges, finished our degrees, moved away from home, and entered the workforce—and the entire time, the U.S. has been carrying out military actions halfway across the world.

The Trump administration’s assassination of the military commander of Iran’s Quds Force is a dangerous escalation of the confrontation with Iran that will lead to more bloodshed, further destabilize Iraq, and expand conflict and instability throughout the Middle East.

There is no joy in the impeachment proceedings that are moving forward in Congress. As the House Judiciary Committee debated the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, we saw the settling gloom of congressional partisanship. Painful as this process is, the Friends Committee on National Legislation fully supports the impeachment process established by the U.S. Constitution.

On Dec. 6, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 326, a resolution affirming U.S. support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and opposing unilateral annexation of Palestinian territory. This resolution is an explicit rejection of the administration’s efforts to undermine the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.

As an organization called by faith to seek a more peaceful, more just world based on respect for international law and human rights, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) urges members of Congress to vote NO on the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The Department of Agriculture recently unveiled a proposed rule that would reduce Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by $4.5 billion over five years. FCNL submitted a public comment on Nov. 26 decrying the proposal, which would have an outsize impact on low-income families and marginalized communities.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation repudiates the statement by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the United States government regards all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory as legal. FCNL supports the right of Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and security in their own homeland.