[pjw] UPDATE: US House voted (2 weeks ago) to end support for Yemen war

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello Iraq Affinity Group supporters

At our meeting last Monday, we talked about the very nuanced Resolution 
which the US House voted on February 13 calling to end any direct military 
support for the Saudi war on Yemen. A similar resolution was denied a vote 
in the House last year.

The Agence France Presse article below lists the 18 Republicans who voted 
to support the final vote. Like yesterday's vote to reject Trump's 
"emergency wall" declaration, there are not enough votes (290 needed) to 
over-ride a veto.

It reminds the President that there is no Congressional authorization for 
US military action to support that war.

The Resolution went to the Senate on the 14th but there has been no action 
since then, though I think Congressional rules require them to take it up 
within 30 days.

Here is where you can see the actions taken, if you want to track next 
steps:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-joint-resolution/37

One of the very unfortunate twists in this story is that an amendment was 
added purportedly denouncing anti-Semitism (which has nothing to do with 
Yemen and Saudi Arabia, but is a worthy goal) but going beyond that 
pledging US support for Israel as the only "democracy" in the region, and 
condemning boycotts (thus echoing senate efforts to outlaw the Boycott 
Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel's policies against 
Palestinians).

The added text is in paragraphs 11-14:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-joint-resolution/37/text

That amendment was passed with a vote of 252-177, which Reps. Blumenauer, 
Defazio, and Bonamici voted against, but not Schrader or Walden. For the 
final vote of 248-177 sending the resolution to the Senate, only Walden 
voted no, despite his voting yes on H Res 599 in December 2017 
calling for a political solution and pointing out that there is no 
Authorization for Use of Military Force in Yemen. (That  Resolution 
passed 366-30.)

Meanwhile, I did not realize until I was scooping up news for the meeting 
that Republican Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina had died. In early 
February, Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced the Walter B. Jones 
Restoring Power to Congress Act (HR 966) to overturn the 2001 
Authorization for Use of Military Force, which has been used to justify 
the drone wars in Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen (not prohibited, by the way, by 
HJR 37) as well as the more active wars on Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and 
Syria. Apparently, Jones is listed as a cosponsor (presumable from before 
his death), but nobody else has signed on.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/966

I hope that wasn't too confusing. If anyone has corrections or updates let 
me know.
--dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group




   https://www.france24.com/en/20190214-usa-yemen-congress-house-backs-measure-end-saudi-arabia-support-war-trump
US House backs measure to end Saudi support in Yemen war
    Date created : 14/02/2019 - 08:03

    The Democratic-led U.S. House on Wednesday approved a resolution that
    would end U.S. support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the war in
    Yemen, as many lawmakers sought to push President Donald Trump to
    toughen his policy toward the kingdom.

    It was the first time the House of Representatives has ever
    supported a war powers resolution, but the 248-177 vote - almost
    entirely along party lines - would not be enough to overcome
    Trump's promise to issue what would likely be his first veto.

    Only 18 of Trump's fellow Republicans in the House joined 230
    Democrats in supporting the resolution seeking to stop the U.S.
    military from any hostilities in or affecting Yemen, including
    refueling aircraft conducting missions in the Yemen civil war, without
    authorization from Congress.

      18 House Republicans voted Yes on Yemen war powers resolution:
      Biggs-AZ
      Brooks-AL
      Buck-CO
      Cloud-TX
      Davidson-OH
      Gaetz-FL
      Gohmert-TX
      Griffith-VA
      Hollingsworth-IN
      Jordan-OH
      Massie-KY
      Meadows-NC
      Mooney-WV
      Posey-FL
      Roy-TX
      Schweikert-AZ
      Tipton-CO
      Webster-FL[56]https://t.co/K97KkhSaa0
        Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) [57]February 13, 2019

    Democrats and Republicans reintroduced the war powers resolution two
    weeks ago as a way to send a strong message to Riyadh about the
    humanitarian disaster in Yemen and condemn the killing of Saudi
    journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

    Yemen's almost four-year war has killed tens of thousands of people,
    collapsed the economy and brought millions of people to the brink of
    famine.

    The administration - and many of Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress
    - said the resolution was inappropriate because U.S. forces had
    provided aircraft refueling and other support in the Yemen conflict,
    not combat troops. It also said the measure would harm relationships in
    the region and hurt the U.S. ability to prevent the spread of violent
    extremism.

    The Senate is expected to vote on the resolution within 30 days.

      I applaud my House colleagues for today's historic passage of HJ Res
      37 - ending U.S. support for the disastrous Saudi-led war in Yemen.
      The Senate must quickly pass this resolution and finally reassert
      Congress' constitutional authority over war.
      [60]https://t.co/AlnxneooPU
        Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) [61]February 13, 2019

    A previous version of the resolution passed the Senate by 56-41 in
    December. But it was not brought up for a vote in the House, where
    Republicans held a majority until Democrats took control on Jan. 3,
    following sweeping victories in November's elections.

    The United States has supported the Saudi-led air campaign against
    Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen with mid-air refueling support,
    intelligence and targeting assistance.

    December's Senate vote was the first time either chamber of Congress
    backed a resolution to withdraw U.S. forces from a military engagement
    under the War Powers Act. That law, passed in 1973, limits the
    president's ability to commit U.S. forces to potential hostilities
    without congressional approval.

    (REUTERS)
   56. https://t.co/K97KkhSaa0
   57. https://twitter.com/CraigCaplan/status/1095807328811663360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   60. https://t.co/AlnxneooPU
   61. https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/1095810333770432513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw