Senate Puts a Foot Down Over the War in Yemen

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Mike Lee co-sponsor the bill
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 13, 2019 7:20 PM CDT
Senate Puts a Foot Down Over the War in Yemen
From left, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, meet before holding a news conference on the Senate vote on ending US support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition fighting in Yemen, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 13, 2019.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Senate voted Wednesday to end US support for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition's war in Yemen, bringing Congress one step closer to a unprecedented rebuke of President Trump's foreign policy, the AP reports. Lawmakers have never before invoked the decades-old War Powers Resolution to stop a foreign conflict, but they are poised to do just that in the bid to cut off US support for a war that has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe. The vote puts Congress on a collision course with Trump, who has already threatened to veto the resolution, which the White House says raises "serious constitutional concerns." The measure was co-sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democrat, and Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican. Next, it will move to the Democratic-controlled House, where it is expected to pass.

"The bottom line is that the United States should not be supporting a catastrophic war led by a despotic regime with an irresponsible foreign policy," Sanders said Wednesday from the Senate floor. He said a vote in favor of the measure would "begin the process of reclaiming our constitutional authority by ending United States involvement in a war that has not been authorized by Congress and is unconstitutional." In its statement threatening a veto, the White House argued the premise of the resolution is flawed and that it would undermine the fight against extremism. US support for the Saudis does not constitute engaging in "hostilities," the statement said, and the Yemen resolution "seeks to override the president's determination as commander in chief."

(More Yemen stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X