Congress Passes Historic War Powers Resolution Urging End to U.S. Involvement in Yemen War

Congress passed a historic War Powers resolution Thursday, calling for the end of America’s involvement in Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. This bill represents the first time Congress has ever passed a War Powers Resolution.

The House passed S.J. Res. 7 Thursday, 247-175, featuring strong bipartisan support for the measure. Republicans and Democrats on both sides have pushed for less involvement in the war in Yemen.

S. J. Res. 7 would require that President Donald Trump remove American armed forces from hostilities in or affecting Yemen within 30 days. S.J. Resolution passed through the Senate in March, and now that the legislation passed, the bill will go to President Trump’s desk to sign.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a progressive and anti-war Democrat, told Breitbart News in an exclusive interview this week that he hopes to forge a bipartisan coalition to end a number of wars and U.S. military conflict worldwide.

To illustrate the increased congressional interest in ending America’s long-standing involvement in the Middle East, lawmakers ranging from Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Mike Lee (R-UT) to Reps. Justin Amash (R-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) wrote a bipartisan letter to the president backing his planned withdrawal from Syria.

Khanna said in his interview with Breitbart News’s Matthew Boyle:

What the most urgent thing we need to do is have the Saudis stop the blockade of Yemen. That could cause a famine of almost 14 million people, an unfathomable humanitarian catastrophe. It’s because they’re blockading Yemen. We should completely stop refueling. The administration has put it on halt, but we should completely stop it—and we should stop any targeting assistance. Let’s be very clear: the Saudis and United Arab Emirates are supplying arms to al-Qaeda in Yemen, and those arms are being used to fight American troops. These aren’t our friends when it comes to our interests in Yemen.

The United States has aided Saudi Arabia in its war with Yemen since former President Barack Obama’s administration. Obama never sought congressional approval from Congress to involve America in the Middle East conflict, even though he had the U.S. military help the Saudis refuel their bombing runs.

Congressman Khanna said he would love to have “15 minutes” with the president to work with him on ending America’s numerous military conflicts, including America’s involvement in Yemen.

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.