Congress: Stop the Saudi Arms Deal. Stop the Famine in Yemen.

On March 23, a bipartisan group of ten Senators urged Secretary of State Tillerson to launch an urgent diplomatic effort to address obstacles in northeastern Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen preventing humanitarian aid from being delivered to people who desperately need it. [1]

About Yemen, the ten Senators wrote: "In Yemen, the World Food Program estimates that 80% of the population is in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. In short, millions of innocent people will starve to death without concerted and urgent action in the coming weeks…In Yemen, we ask that the Department of State work urgently with stakeholders to persuade combatants to permit humanitarian groups increased access to Red Sea ports like Hodeida to deliver much-needed assistance to vulnerable communities."

Former U.S. officials have said that failure to open Hodeida to food imports could tip Yemen into famine. [2]

The Trump Administration is moving towards selling even more weapons to Saudi Arabia. [3] This arms deal could be blocked by Congress. [4] That gives Congress leverage over Saudi Arabia.

Urge Congress to use its leverage to force the Saudis to open Hodeida to humanitarian aid to avert famine by signing our petition.

References:
1. https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=7D1BDC36-79DE-4AB2-A9F1-1A89B8B5111D
2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-hodeidah-yemen-famine_us_58a88970e4b037d17d28610b
3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-looks-to-resume-saudi-arms-sale-criticized-as-endangering-civilians-in-yemen/2017/03/08/a259090a-040e-11e7-b1e9-a05d3c21f7cf_story.html
4. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/congress-showdown-saudi-arms-sales-bombs-yemen.html