Directing the President Pursuant to Section 5(C) of the War Powers Resolution to Remove United States Armed Forces From Lebanon

Floor Speech

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Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to support this War Powers Resolution to stop the U.S. Government from being complicit in a war in Lebanon that is devastating the Lebanese people. Millions of innocent civilians in Lebanon and across the region have been trapped by brutal violence and displacement.

With fighting that just began only a mere 3 months ago, more than 3,500 people have been killed, nearly 11,000 injured, and more than a million displaced in Lebanon alone.

We cannot look at Lebanon in a vacuum. We have to recognize the dangerous parallels to Netanyahu's illegal incursions in Gaza and the West Bank that have also caused mass suffering.

It was reported that, even this week, Donald Trump himself called Netanyahu crazy and claimed that he would be in prison if it was not for him.

What we have witnessed is a devastating pattern: Military force that kills and displaces countless civilians, destroys vital civilian infrastructure and sacred sites, and deepens an endless cycle of violence and trauma.

Mr. Speaker, no one on this side of the aisle supports terrorism or terrorist organizations. For our colleagues to claim so is just wrong.

Just as operations in the West Bank and Gaza have destabilized prospects for lasting peace, pushing a front into Lebanon will not achieve long-term security for the region. As we saw just this week, further acts of violence in Lebanon certainly won't end the President's illegal war.

Families in both Lebanon and Palestine have lost their homes. Children are growing up in fear, and generations have yet to experience a moment of peace. Violent attacks, restrictions on movement, indignities to everyday life, and unfathomable cruelty, these impacts are not just felt in these communities but in our own communities here in the United States, as well.

As family and friends are watching in horror and grief, my own office has received countless heartbreaking stories from family members and colleagues living in Palestine and Lebanon: displacement, loss of homes, livelihoods, and entire communities; children living in fear; and people attacked, beaten, or arrested for merely attempting to live their lives and to pray.

Congress cannot stand silent for a moment longer. Congress has not authorized any war in the Middle East. Just a few hours ago, this body in this House voted to end the illegal war in Iran. We cannot be complicit in these crimes. It is time to end this war. It is time to reclaim our constitutional power.

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Ms. STANSBURY. It is time to restore the dignity of the United States, and it is time to restore human rights and the standing of the United States here in this country.

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Ms. STANSBURY. Our responsibility is to end this illegal war now.

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