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. LEE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Lebanon War Powers Resolution introduced by my friend Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

The United States is actively participating in Israel's illegal invasion and bombing of Lebanon and its mass displacement of the Lebanese people. This participation was not authorized by Congress, and it supports strikes that are illegal under U.S. and international law. This resolution is urgently needed to stop using our tax dollars to fund Israeli war crimes.

There has been confusion about what support looks like, so I would like to be specific about what the United States' support looks like here. In southern Lebanon, homes are being leveled with U.S.-supplied bulldozers. Israel is engaging in chemical warfare with U.S.-supplied white phosphorus. The U.S. is providing targeting intelligence for Israeli strikes. There are even credible reports that President Trump personally green-lit specific Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

These examples demonstrate the depth of U.S. involvement and the urgency for Congress to act. This is exactly the kind of military involvement that Congress intended the War Powers Resolution to cover.

I urge my colleagues to consider that by supplying Israel with weapons and logistical support, we are giving Netanyahu the means to continue bombing and displacing thousands and thousands of people. Trump can yell at Netanyahu all he wants, but we can't have it both ways. We can't supply weapons and then be surprised when they get used. We can't supply diplomatic cover for previous violations and then be surprised when Netanyahu threatens to do it again.

The American people overwhelmingly oppose Trump's cruel, wasteful, and illegal war in Iran. If Trump is serious about ending this war, then we must prevent Israeli escalation in Lebanon. Ending our participation in that escalation is a necessary place to start.

As recently as this week's floor votes, Republicans are still out here inventing reasons why we can't help families here in America get food, support students trying to afford college, or fund childcare for working parents here. Meanwhile, they are trying to give $1.5 trillion to the Pentagon, some of which will fund the kinds of U.S. weapons and systems for Israel that are being used to undermine a peace deal with Iran.

My constituents have been clear about this. I suspect many of all of ours have been, as well. They want lower gas prices, better schools, reliable healthcare, dignified work, and affordable homes. They do not want the U.S. and their taxpayer dollars to be complicit in morally abhorrent, wasteful, and counterproductive foreign invasions.

Today, we have an opportunity to weigh in directly and say whether we want to end U.S. participation in an invasion. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important resolution.

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