June, 28 2019, 12:00am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action, 951-217-7285 cell, pmartin@peace-action.org
Gabe Murphy, Peace Action, 510-501-3345 cell, gmurphy@peaceaction.org
Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval
WASHINGTON
In response to a majority of the Senate voting for an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement:
"Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, our nation stands on the precipice of another blunderous war of choice in the Middle East. Thankfully, the Senate just reiterated what the Constitution already states in no uncertain terms--that the president cannot start a war without congressional approval. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to block this bipartisan vote and debate at every turn. Ultimately, he succumbed to pressure led by Senators Tom Udall (D-NM), Rand Paul (R-KY), Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Mike Lee (R-UT), but required a 60-vote threshold that blocked the amendment's passage.
"In these turbulent times, it's worth remembering how the Trump administration's policies created this crisis. President Trump says he wants to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons, but he unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear agreement that keeps Iran's nuclear program in check. He says he wants to negotiate a better deal, but he's imposed crippling sanctions on Iran that have shut the door on any near-term hopes for diplomacy. He says he doesn't want a war, but he came within ten minutes of starting one.
"Congress stepping up to assert its constitutional authority over war is a welcome development, but with this administration's history of sidestepping congressional authority, Congress must use every tool at its disposal to block the president's path to war with Iran. Congress must repeal the overly broad 2001 war authorization, which the administration has suggested might apply to a war with Iran. Congress should also push for a return to U.S. compliance with the Iran nuclear agreement, and for other diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions and walk us back from the brink."
Peace Action is the United States' largest peace and disarmament organization with over 100,000 members and nearly 100 chapters in 34 states, works to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons, promote government spending priorities that support human needs and encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights.
LATEST NEWS
Sanders, Dems Tell Biden to Learn From Covid Amid Pandemic Treaty Talks
"A fairer, more equitable response to the next public health outbreak is in everyone's interest."
Mar 19, 2024
This week's high-stakes negotiations on a new global treaty inspired by the Covid-19 crisis "present an historic opportunity to prepare for future pandemics, to protect lives and livelihoods, and to demonstrate political leadership the world will long remember," a dozen progressive U.S. lawmakers wrote to President Joe Biden on Tuesday.
The members of Congress told Biden that "as the U.S. participates in the negotiation of the pandemic accord at the World Health Organization (WHO), we urge you to push for strong, binding equitable access standards to ensure that tests, treatments, and vaccines for the next global public health threat are available to everyone who needs them as soon as possible."
"You can help make sure the next pandemic is shorter and less deadly than the last."
"Nearly 15 million people died during the first two years of the pandemic," they noted. "Most tragically, millions of people died needlessly after the vaccines were developed, but before they became widely available in low-and-middle income countries. Major manufacturers chose not to share the vaccine recipe to expand global production."
"But vaccine inequity did not just hurt people abroad. Major gaps in access to vaccines globally also increased the risk of deadly new variants that changed the course of the pandemic at home," the lawmakers highlighted, stressing that "we must act on the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic."
The letter was led by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) along with Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). They were joined by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), as well as Reps. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.).
During the WHO talks on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response—which began Monday and are scheduled to run through March 28—they want the Biden administration to champion three foundational commitments:
- Pharmaceutical companies should not be allowed to charge outrageous prices for products developed with taxpayer dollars;
- When the public funds information that can help end a pandemic, it should not be kept a secret; and
- The U.S. should support countries that take steps to increase access to pandemic products.
The letter specifically calls out Pfizer and Moderna, asserting that the latter "serves as a powerful reminder for why American leadership is so critical," because the Massachusetts-based company "worked hand-in-hand with scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health" to invent one of the multiple coronavirus vaccines created during the pandemic.
"U.S. taxpayers spent $12 billion to research, develop, and procure the vaccine," the letter explains. "Yet Moderna refused to share its technology with other manufacturers to increase global production, charged some poorer countries more for doses than wealthy countries, and then quadrupled the price of the Covid vaccine to $128—at a time when it costs just $2.85 to manufacture the vaccine."
"A fairer, more equitable response to the next public health outbreak is in everyone's interest," the lawmakers wrote to Biden. "By supporting strong, binding equitable access standards, you can help make sure the next pandemic is shorter and less deadly than the last."
Reporting on the negotiations Monday, Axiospointed out that "a key sticking point is whether countries must provide viral specimens or genome sequences to a global repository managed by the World Health Organization, which would enable others to use that information to create vaccines, diagnostic tests, and treatments."
Nithin Ramakrishnan of the global advocacy group Third World Network told the outlet that the treaty's current draft "serves the interests of developed countries and their biotech industries by forcing developing countries to share biological materials and information without adequate legal certainty of benefit sharing."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Dem Donors Warn Biden's Support for Israeli War on Gaza May Hand Trump the White House
"Because of the disillusionment of a critical portion of the Democratic coalition, the Gaza war is increasing the chances of a Trump victory."
Mar 19, 2024
More than 100 Democratic donors and activists on Monday warned U.S. President Joe Biden that his administration's "unconditional support" for Israel's catastrophic war on Gaza "is increasing the chances" that former President Donald Trump will win this year's election.
In a letter, the Biden supporters—who according toThe New York Times include some six-figure donors—condemned the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel while also arguing that Israeli military actions are not achieving the goals of eliminating the Palestinian group or freeing hostages.
"However, the ongoing military actions by the [Israel Defense Forces] are not achieving those goals," the signatories argued. "Instead, nearly all civil structures in Gaza, including hospitals, schools, mosques, and civilian accommodation are being systematically destroyed. Food, temporary shelter, and medical aid are being prevented by the Israeli government and Israeli extremists from being delivered to the civilian population. Gaza has become a humanitarian catastrophe."
"Regrettably, President Biden has provided what appears to be unconditional support for the Israeli operation," the letter states. "The Biden administration has been providing armaments, including 2,000-pound bombs which have been used to flatten entire civilian neighborhoods, causing massive casualties with a high ratio of women and children."
The signers noted that Biden has asked far-right Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "to minimize civilian casualties but has threatened no consequences as Netanyahu has continued to ignore him."
Israel has also been accused of ignoring an order from the International Court of Justice to avoid genocidal acts in Gaza, where Israeli bombs, bullets, and a blockade have killed or wounded more than 112,000 Palestinians, including thousands of people who are missing and presumed dead and buried beneath the rubble of bombed-out buildings. Most of those killed have been women and children. Around 90% of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been forcibly displaced. People—mostly children and infants—are starving to death.
Biden, who early in the war declared his "unwavering, rock-solid support" for Israel, is seeking an additional $14.3 billion in military aid for the country, which already gets nearly $4 billion annually from Washington. The Democratic president has also twice sidestepped Congress to fast-track emergency armed aid to Israel.
"As donors and activists, we have committed much time and treasure in helping increase the turnout of likely Biden voters, particularly among young voters and voters of color," the letter states. "Many of these voters are now questioning whether the Democratic Party shares their values. If they stay home or vote for a third-party candidate, there is the very real danger that President Biden will be defeated in November."
"The reelection of Donald Trump would be a disaster for our country and a bigger disaster for Israel/Palestine, and we fear that the Gaza war is increasing the chances of that occurring," the signers said. "Because of the disillusionment of a critical portion of the Democratic coalition, the Gaza war is increasing the chances of a Trump victory."
"We are asking the Biden administration immediately to change course," they added. "Conditions need to be placed and monitored on any further military, financial, or diplomatic aid. All indiscriminate bombing and demolition must stop."
The Biden administration is currently reviewing Israeli claims that it has not arbitrarily blocked humanitarian aid and U.S. arms have been used in accordance with international law. Human Rights Watch and Oxfam on Tuesday sent the administration a memo detailing why Israel's assurances "cannot be relied upon."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Groups Slam Billionaire Jeffrey Yass for Trying to Oust Pennsylvania Progressive
"Is it any surprise that a billionaire who made his money off of our exploitation is trying to stop us from electing champions who advocate for what our communities need to thrive and be safe?" asked one campaigner.
Mar 19, 2024
A coalition of progressive advocacy groups on Monday condemned suburban Philadelphia multibillionaire Jeffrey Yass for funding right-wing political groups and for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in a bid to unseat a progressive congresswoman in far-away Pittsburgh.
Yass—who is Pennsylvania's wealthiest person—is a GOP megadonor with a history of funding political action committees (PACs) and other groups opposed to LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, unions, minimum wage increases, public schools, and raising taxes on the rich. He also has dodged $1 billion in taxes, according to a ProPublica investigation, and is reportedly on Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump's shortlist for treasury secretary.
"Yass prefers to be behind the scenes. So he contributes to dark money PACs and has helped sustain his own network of nonprofit organizations and PACs to distribute funds to candidates for office and issues," the #AllEyesOnYass campaign explained.
"People like Jeffrey Yass are not only a threat to democracy, but they create the conditions that allow for discrimination and violence to happen."
During the 2022 midterms, Yass gave $47 million to GOP candidates and committees, making him the third-biggest conservative political donor during that election cycle. He is on pace to obliterate that record this cycle, having already spent $46.4 million.
In addition to being the top Republican donor during the 2024 election cycle, Yass has also poured at least $1 million into a super PAC that aims to elect so-called "moderate" Democrats. The Moderate PAC—which is funded exclusively by Yass—last week released an ad promoting Bhavini Patel, a Democrat running for Congresswoman Summer Lee's (D-Pa.) House seat.
"Jeff Yass—a billionaire who tries to privatize our public schools, evades paying his taxes, funds elected officials who supported the January 6 insurrection, and just this week, pledged support for Trump—should not be allowed to buy our election," said Steve Paul, co-executive director of the progressive advocacy group One Pennsylvania.
"From this congressional seat to the Pennsylvania Legislature to the U.S. presidency, we will resist Yass' corporate authoritarian power grabs," he added.
Miracle Jones, legislative director of coalition member 1HoodPower, said: "For the last few years, we have been fighting to make this region livable for all of us. Pittsburgh was deemed the worst livable city for Black women. Is it any surprise that a billionaire who made his money off of our exploitation is trying to stop us from electing champions who advocate for what our communities need to thrive and be safe?"
"When Republican billionaires spend money to buy politicians who do not have our community's needs at the center of the work, then people like Jeffrey Yass are not only a threat to democracy, but they create the conditions that allow for discrimination and violence to happen," Jones added. "Rest assured that we won't let him prevail in our quest to build a better world for our community."
Keep ReadingShow Less
Most Popular