The lawmakers’ goal is to prohibit US logistical support for the Saudi-led coalition’s airstrikes through an amendment to the annual defense policy bill, a move that they hope would effectively ground the air campaign by banning the US provision of spare parts that Saudi Arabia needs to maintain its planes. The measure would also restrict certain forms of intelligence-sharing, according to The Washington Post.
The amendment, first presented by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, already passed in the House’s version of the defense authorization, and now members of both chambers are pressing their colleagues not to remove it during conference negotiations with the Senate.
“We strongly urge you to include the House provision that prohibits military support for the Saudi-led coalition’s war” against Yemenis, the lawmakers said in a letter that was signed by Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as Republican Sens. Rand Paul and Mike Lee , and Reps. Adam B. Schiff , Mark Pocan, Matt Gaetz and dozens of others.
“Inclusion of this amendment would ensure that our men and women in uniform are not involved in a war which has never been authorized by Congress, and continues to undermine rather than advance US national security interests,” the lawmakers wrote.
More than 100 people are believed to have been killed in the airstrike by Saudi warplanes on the detention center in the Yemeni city of Dhamar, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).