Dear Tom,
We did it!
Yesterday, the Senate made history by voting 56-41 to pass S.J.Res. 54, legislation directing President Trump to end U.S. support for the catastrophic war in Yemen. But really, it’s you who made history.
Take a moment to think about how many times you’ve contacted your members of Congress, how many times you’ve contributed to the peace movement, how many times you’ve talked to friends about the importance of this issue. Without your tenacious activism — your determination to get Congress to take action to end U.S. support for the war — this vote would never have happened, let alone succeeded.
As we said yesterday in our statement to press on the vote: “this vote is a testament to the power of political activism, and a reminder that we must continue the struggle for a just and responsible foreign policy, because that struggle makes a difference.”
We’ve already heard from folks involved in the negotiations in Sweden between the warring parties in Yemen that this congressional action is making a difference in those negotiations. Yesterday, the parties agreed to a ceasefire in and around the key port city of Hodeidah, through which most of the humanitarian aid coming into Yemen makes port. Thanks to your activism, the Saudi-led coalition is starting to see the writing on the wall: that the U.S. will no longer support the bombing and starvation of Yemeni civilians. That in turn is incentivizing the coalition to negotiate in good faith to finally end the war.
Through a different lens, we also see this vote impacting the broader struggle to get Congress to reclaim its authority over war, which has important implications for almost all of the work we do. As our statement yesterday put it: “Beyond its significance for the people of Yemen, by successfully invoking the War Powers Act, this vote also heralds the beginning of the end of Congress’ abdication of its war powers after nearly two decades of endless war with no meaningful oversight from Congress.”
To be sure, our struggle is not over. While the Senate finally stepped up to pass this vital legislation, House Republican leadership moved to block a vote in the House earlier this week, making it unlikely that the House will take up the issue this year. But we’re already working with our allies in the House to make sure the incoming Democratic leadership makes this a top priority when a Democratic House takes control in January. The bottom line is, if the Trump administration does not act to end the unconstitutional U.S. role in Yemen, we’ll make sure the incoming Congress moves to force its hand next year.
But even if this legislation doesn’t become law, pressure from Congress—made possible by pressure from grassroots activists like you—is changing the calculus of the Trump administration and of Saudi Arabia for the better, and that change is saving lives in Yemen and accelerating an end to the war. In other words, the Peace Movement is winning!
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being a part of this movement. In the coming days, weeks and months, we’ll ask you to stay involved, to contribute, to keep telling your members of Congress what’s what.
For now, pat yourself on the back and enjoy this moment, because this is a victory worth celebrating!
Humbly for peace,
Jon Rainwater
Executive Director
Peace Action