Today, Senator Peter Welch (VT) re-introduced legislation to restore U.S. support for UNRWA, the U.N. agency leading humanitarian aid operations in Gaza.
The UNRWA Emergency Funding Restoration Act (S. 898) comes at another dire moment. This week, the Israeli government announced an extreme measure to cut off all humanitarian aid into Gaza — a war crime.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to continue providing U.S. weapons to allow the Israeli government to “finish the job” in Gaza. As FCNL’s Hassan El-Tayyab warned, Trump’s statement is “another genocidal threat” that could “give Israel a green light to start the war again.”
More war and starvation are unacceptable.
That is why FCNL’s policy experts and Advocacy Teams are lobbying Congress to halt the shipment of U.S. weapons and restore funding for UNRWA. It is part of FCNL’s “Aid Not Arms” campaign.
As our new coalition letter notes, UNRWA remains “the backbone of the humanitarian response in the devastated Gaza Strip and serve[s] as a significant stabilizing presence.” Since October 2023, it has delivered “two-thirds of all food assistance to Gaza, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons, and vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio.”
As FCNL’s Odeliya Matter wrote, the UNRWA Emergency Funding Restoration Act is crucial to support this irreplaceable work. It also rejects efforts to impede the relief that Palestinian families desperately need.
Lawmakers must also use the leverage they have by supporting resolutions led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and others to block major new shipments of U.S. bombs to the Israeli government. New shipments were recently authorized by the Trump administration.
By supporting these legislative efforts, lawmakers can exert pressure on the Trump administration and the Israeli government to move forward with the ceasefire deal and allow full humanitarian access to Gaza. But Congress must move fast to seize these opportunities before it is too late.
Please join us and help us make sure our voices for peace and aid are heard.
Elsewhere
Ash Wednesday Vigils
As many observed Ash Wednesday this week, FCNL joined with interfaith partners for two vigils.
FCNL’s Bridget Moix spoke at a morning vigil hosted by NETWORK Lobby and Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC-06). The vigil called for a budget which reflects our shared moral values—one that prioritizes compassion, dignity, and justice for the most vulnerable people.
Following that, risking a thunderstorm, we joined with a broad coalition of interfaith partners led by Sojourners in the first Faithful Witness Wednesday vigil. We called on Congress to exercise greater moral courage in upholding its Article 1 powers and preventing executive overreach. We will continue these vigils every Wednesday through March – join us online or in person on Capitol Hill!
Standing up for Medicaid during the State of the Union
President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress this week was disheartening. He attacked immigrants and trans people and painted a grim picture of our country. Representative Al Green (TX-9) spoke out for Medicaid during the speech and was ejected from the chamber. As Medicaid and SNAP are under attack in the budget that Congress is considering, his bold witness is a reminder of why we must keep up the struggle for these programs that so many in our communities rely on.
Interfaith advocacy for foreign assistance
The Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance, cochaired by FCNL, brought leaders from many different faith organizations to Washington this week for a series of urgent meetings on the recent foreign aid cuts. Meeting with Republicans and Democrats in both chambers, they heard from congressional staff that input from constituents like you is crucial in this moment.
New on FCNL’s blog
- FCNL’s Devra Baxter wrote about a new bill to repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq.
- In the new Trump administration, there is not “a door wide open for criminal legal system reform.” But Katherine Jones covers how there is “a window cracked.”
