Senator Collins Votes for Resolution to End U.S. Support for Saudi-Led War in Yemen
Following passage of the War Powers resolution, the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution attributing the responsibility of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salaman and calling for appropriate accountability
Washington, D.C.—In response to the humanitarian disaster in Yemen, U.S. Senator Susan Collins voted in favor of Senate Joint Resolution (S.J. Res. 54), which uses the 1973 War Powers Resolution to compel the withdrawal of U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. The resolution passed by a vote of 56-41.
“The devastating war in Yemen has created a humanitarian crisis that threatens the lives of millions of innocent civilians,” said Senator Collins. “Earlier this year, I voted to advance debate on this resolution to confront Saudi Arabia for its actions that have contributed to this crisis, and I am pleased that a bipartisan majority of my colleagues have joined me today in pressuring all parties to bring hostilities in Yemen to an end. The passage of this resolution sends a strong message in defense of American values that the U.S. will not tolerate Saudi Arabia’s abhorrent record on human rights.”
The conflict in Yemen has killed thousands of civilians, and Saudi obstruction of humanitarian relief has caused a famine that has left millions more on the verge of starvation. Additionally, human rights experts have accused both the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels of violating international law. Saudi Arabia’s exacerbation of the devastation in Yemen builds on its egregious record of human rights abuses, including the atrocious murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October.
Excluding counterterrorism operations, U.S. forces currently provide intelligence sharing and targeting assistance to the Saudi-coalition against the Houthis in Yemen. This resolution would prohibit U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia’s activities in Yemen’s civil war, except in the case of operations against al Qaeda or associated terrorist forces.
Additionally, along with Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Chris Coons (D-DE), Senator Collins introduced an amendment to prohibit the resumption of U.S. air refueling of Saudi coalition aircraft engaged in the civil war in Yemen. The Department of Defense suspended aerial refueling to the Saudi-led coalition on November 8, 2018, but the Senators’ amendment—which was adopted by a vote of 58-41—would explicitly make clear that S.J. Res. 54 would apply to future U.S. refueling involving the civil war in Yemen.
Following passage of the War Powers resolution, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution expressing the belief that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salaman is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and calling for appropriate accountability.
