Yemen War Powers Resolution Passage Marks New Era for U.S. Global Policies

Iram Ali, Campaign Director for MoveOn, released the following statement after the overwhelming bipartisan vote in the Senate to pass S.J.Res.54:

"The Senate's decision--by a remarkable bipartisan vote--to pass the Yemen war powers resolution marks the beginning of a new era in U.S. global policies. In a major move that will hold historical significance in the anti-war and peace movements, a bipartisan group of senators took a step toward reclaiming their war-making abilities and putting a check on our unauthorized military endeavors for the first time--and paving the way to disrupt the destructive cozy relations between the Trump administration and Saudi regime.

"Today, 56 senators chose to move toward ending U.S. complicity in the Saudi-led attacks in Yemen, where millions of people are on the brink of famine because of this conflict.

"This is a grassroots victory. Over 71,000 MoveOn members have signed petitions calling on Congress to hold Saudi Arabia accountable and to end the conflict in Yemen and made over 8,000 calls to Congress alongside allies.

"In March, when ending U.S. military involvement in Yemen was a fight on the fringes of congressional priorities, MoveOn members placed thousands of flowers in front of the Capitol Building to mourn the thousands of children lost in the conflict.

"There is more work to be done. Just yesterday, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer chose not to whip Democrats against a measure that blocked a House vote on the Yemen conflict, despite the urging of the grassroots. That failure must not be repeated in January.

"In the new 2019 Congress, we hope that both chambers will echo the call of the Senate today to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and chart a new pathway forward that prioritizes diplomacy and humanitarian aid over warfare and weapons sales."