Washington, DC—In recognition of 100 days since the murder of The Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) today spoke on the House floor urging Congress to end support for Saudi Arabia.

Video of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s Speech is Available Here

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said:

“100 days ago today, the Saudi regime ordered the assassination of a journalist named Jamal Khashoggi. This brought the world’s attention to Saudi Arabia, a radical Wahhabi theocracy, where the oppression of women and the persecution of Christians, Hindus, atheists, and other religious minorities, as well as the LGBT community is the norm. Since 2015, the United States has supported Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen that has killed tens of thousands of civilians, caused millions of Yemeni people to suffer, starve, and get sick, and created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. They spend billions of dollars spreading the extreme Wahhabi Salafist ideology that fuels terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda around the world. Contrary to what President Trump believes, Saudi Arabia is not our friend.

“Here we are 100 days later and this Congress still refuses to take action to stop U.S. support for Saudi Arabia and to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Congress must act now to end its support for Saudi Arabia’s genocidal war in Yemen, exercise our constitutional authority over matters of war, and stop putting the profits of the military-industrial complex before the lives of the American people and people around the world.”

Background:

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a leading voice for peace in Congress, advocating against counterproductive, regime-change wars. She has called for ending support for Saudi Arabia, pushed for additional oversight on acquisition and cross-service agreements (Section 1271 of the FY19 NDAA), supported H. Con. Res. 81, a bipartisan resolution that sought to stop U.S. military participation in Saudi Arabia's war against the Houthis in Yemen, bipartisan resolution (H. Con Res. 138) to stop U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia's genocidal war in Yemen, bipartisan legislation (H.R. 7082) to immediately stop all military sales and aid to the government of Saudi Arabia, and more.

Reps. Tulsi Gabbard and Walter Jones also introduced H.Res 922, which would reclaim Congress’s constitutional right to declare war by:

Defining presidential wars not declared by Congress under Article I, section 8, clause 11 (Declare War Clause) as impeachable “high crimes and misdemeanors”

Prohibiting the President from perpetuating ongoing wars or supplying war materials, military troops, trainers, or advisers, military intelligence, financial support or their equivalent in association, cooperation, assistance, or common cause without first receiving congressional authorization

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