The House is expected to vote Thursday on two amendments (#28 and #30) to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that call for the end or limitation of U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
One amendment, sponsored by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), calls for the termination of all U.S. logistical support for the coalition.
The Khanna amendment would terminate “U.S. military logistical support, and the transfer of spare parts to Saudi warplanes conducting aerial strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and permanently ends intelligence sharing that enables offensive strikes and any U.S. effort to command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany Saudi or United Arab Emirates-led coalition forces in the war in Yemen.”
The other amendment, sponsored by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), calls for the suspension of the US servicing of Saudi warplanes that are responsible for civilian casualties in Yemen, although the wording leaves room for exceptions.
The Meeks amendment would require “the suspension of US sustainment and maintenance support to Saudi air force units responsible for airstrikes resulting in civilian casualties in Yemen with certain exemptions for territorial self-defense, counterterrorism operations, and defense of U.S. government facilities or personnel.”
Click here to find your representative by zip code and call them to urge for a vote in support of these amendments to finally put an end to the vicious war against the people of Yemen.
President Biden vowed in February to end support for Saudi Arabia’s “offensive” operations in Yemen. But it was revealed in April that the Pentagon is still servicing Saudi warplanes that are bombing Yemen. Without this support, Riyadh’s air force would quickly be grounded.
Last week, the State Department approved a $500 million contract to service Saudi helicopters, including Apache and Black Hawk attack helicopters, a sign that the Biden administration will not end support for the Saudi air force unless pressured by Congress.
Besides the military support, the U.S. has given the Saudis political cover to continue enforcing the blockade on Yemen. Conditions caused by the blockade and air campaign have caused widespread disease and mass starvation in the country. In February, the UN warned that 400,000 Yemeni children under the age of five will die of starvation in 2021 alone if conditions don’t change, which means hundreds of thousands of children could have already died this year.
The Yemen amendments have a good chance of succeeding, as similar efforts have passed through Congress in the past. In 2019, the House and Senate passed a War Powers Resolution that would have ended U.S. support for the war in Yemen, but the bill was vetoed by President Trump.
The House is also expected to vote on an amendment sponsored by Rep. Jamal Bowman (D-NY) that would prohibit a U.S. military presence in Syria without the approval of Congress.
This article was originally featured at Antiwar.com and is republished with permission.
