Providing for Consideration of H.J. Res. Removal of United States Armed Forces From Hostilities in Yemen That Have Not Been Authorized By Respect to Consideration of Certain Resolutions Reported From the Committee on Rules; and Providing for Consideration of Motions to Suspend the Rules

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. GABBARD. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and the sponsor of this important legislation for the incredible leadership and continuing to be a resolute voice.

The United States support for Saudi Arabia's genocidal war in Yemen, with no authorization from Congress, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Yemeni civilians. The U.S.-Saudi coalition has dropped bombs on children in school buses, on people in markets, and on families who are celebrating weddings.

They have left millions of Yemeni people on the brink of death from famine, disease, starvation, a lack of access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare. This has created the worst humanitarian crisis in a generation.

Earlier this week, the Trump administration threatened to veto this critical legislation should it pass Congress, this legislation that would end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, by spreading blatant lies. They have said that this legislation draws ``constitutional concerns,'' and they say it would ``affect our ability to prevent the spread of violent extremist organizations.''

But here is the truth. First, the United States' support for this war in Yemen is unconstitutional. Congress has not authorized it. Second, Saudi Arabia is not our ally, and continued U.S. support for this war in Yemen is strengthening terrorist groups like al-Qaida.

A recent CNN report documented how Saudi Arabia is literally taking the U.S. weapons that have been provided to them in this war in Yemen and handing them off to al-Qaida on the ground in Yemen, the very same terrorist group that attacked us on 9/11.

Or to speak of the fact that Saudi Arabia is continuing to spend billions of dollars spreading their Wahhabi-Salafist ideology that is fueling terrorist organizations like ISIS and al-Qaida, causing them to grow stronger.

Congress must take action today. We must reclaim our constitutional responsibility and pass this legislation to stop supporting Saudi Arabia's genocidal war in Yemen and strengthening these terrorist groups that threaten us.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source