On June 3, FCNL joined 45 advocacy groups in sending a letter to Congress calling for an end to U.S. participation in the Saudi-UAE coalition’s war in Yemen. during consideration of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Defense Appropriations bills.
June 3, 2019Dear Member of Congress,
We urge you to end further U.S. participation in the Saudi-UAE coalition’s war in Yemen during consideration of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Defense Appropriations this summer. Congress has affirmed in its passage of S.J.Res. 7 that U.S. participation in this conflict has not been authorized by Congress, is not advancing the interests or values of Americans, and makes the United States complicit in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Specifically, we urge you to:
Suspend the transfer, sale, and authorization for license for export of defense articles likely to be used in the war in Yemen for a minimum of two years, with particular attention to any item designated under Category IV of the United States Munitions List.
Expressly prohibit any further U.S. assistance or support for Yemen-related intelligence sharing and logistics support activities to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates.
By taking these actions, Congress would discontinue unconstitutional U.S. participation in the war in Yemen as well as pressure the parties to the conflict to redouble their efforts to find a peaceful political settlement.
As a result of the war, roughly 14 million people in Yemen are at risk of famine. Aid agencies have described Yemen as worst place in the world to be a child, with the conflict claiming the lives of at least 85,000 children under the age of five from hunger and disease. More than 1 million people have been infected with cholera and an alarming 10,000 new cases arise each week. The Saudi and UAE coalition has imposed a de-facto blockade on Yemen, which has impeded the flow of food, fuel, and medicine, pushing prices of essential goods out of reach for millions of Yemenis.
By suspending the sale of arms and ending US participation in the Saudi coalition’s war in Yemen, Congress can prevent a humanitarian catastrophe from spiraling further out of control as it reasserts its Constitutional authority on matters of war and peace.
Sincerely,
Action Corps
American Muslim Empowerment Network (AMEN)
Avaaz
Bread for the World
Center on Conscience & War
Church of the Brethren, Office of Peacebuilding and Policy
Churches for Middle East Peace
CODEPINK
Committee for Responsible Foreign Policy
Common Defense
CS Productions
Defending Rights & Dissent
Demand Progress
Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Franciscan Action Network
Freedom Forward
Health Alliance International
Indivisible
Institute for Policy Studies, New Internationalism Project
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Just Foreign Policy
Million Hoodies Movement for Justice
MoveOn
MPower Change
National Council of Churches
National Religious Campaign Against Torture
Oxfam America
Pax Christi International
Peace Action
Public Citizen
Raging Grannies Action League
RootsAction
STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
SumOfUs
The Libertarian Institute
The United Methodist Church-General Board of Church and Society
The Yemen Peace Project
War Resisters League
Win Without War
World BEYOND War
Yemen Alliance Committee
Yemen Freedom Council
Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation