March, 12 2020, 12:00am EDT
NIAC Action Statement on Delay to NO BAN Vote
WASHINGTON
Jamal Abdi, Executive Director of NIAC Action, issued the following statement on the decision to delay the vote on the NO BAN Act:
"We are disappointed that the vote on the NO BAN Act has been delayed. We understand the need to pass urgent legislation to address the Coronavirus crisis and hope Speaker Pelosi and Leader Hoyer understand that the Muslim Ban is a crisis that threatens the fabric of our country and from which many American families have deserved relief for over three years. We urge Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer to uphold their commitment to repeal Trump's Muslim Ban and publicly commit to vote on the NO BAN Act as soon as Congress returns to legislative business.
"The Muslim Ban is a racist policy the President implemented to address an imaginary crisis for political purposes. National origin or religious affiliation doesn't pose a threat, but global pandemics do. Now that this administration is dealing with a real crisis that may necessitate temporary restrictions on travel, the reckless frivolity of the Muslim Ban and the inability of our institutions to check the executive is on full dangerous display. Trump's racist Muslim ban - and other orders abusing Presidential immigration authorities - undermine public confidence in our institutions and divert resources from addressing real problems and its past time for Congress to step in. It is vital that the House halt discriminatory orders based on bigotry, while maintaining authorities to respond to real public health emergencies like the Coronavirus, by passing the NO BAN Act.
"We call on Speaker Pelosi, Leader Hoyer and all legislators of good conscience to uphold their commitment to pass the NO BAN Act once the House returns to session."
NIAC Action is the grassroots, civic action organization committed to advancing peace and championing the priorities of the Iranian-American community. We are a nonpartisan nonprofit and the 501(c)4 sister organization of the National Iranian American Council, which works to strengthen the Iranian-American community and promote greater understanding between the American and Iranian people.
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Despite the Pentagon's repeated failures to pass audits and various alarming policies, 81 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives voted with 200 Republicans on Wednesday to advance a $883.7 billion annual defense package.
The Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, unveiled by congressional negotiators this past Saturday, still needs approval from the Senate, which is expected to vote next week. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Wednesday that he plans to vote no and spoke out against the military-industrial complex.
The push to pass the NDAA comes as this congressional session winds down and after the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced last month that it had failed yet another audit—which several lawmakers highlighted after the Wednesday vote.
Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), co-chairs and co-founders of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, said in a joint statement, "Time and time again, Congress seems to be able to find the funds necessary to line the pockets of defense contractors while neglecting the problems everyday Americans face here at home."
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Several of the 124 House Democrats who voted against the NDAA cited those "culture war" policies, in addition to concerns about how the Pentagon spends massive amounts of money that could go toward improving lives across the country.
"Once again, Congress has passed a massive military authorization bill that prioritizes endless military spending over the critical needs of American families. This year's NDAA designates $900 billion for military spending," said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), noting the audit failures. "While I recognize the long-overdue 14.5% raise for our lowest-ranking enlisted personnel is important, this bill remains flawed. The bloated military budget continues to take away crucial funding from programs that could help millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet."
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Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), who voted against the NDAA, directed attention to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), set to be run by billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
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