Statement

Statement of Yasmine Taeb, Legislative Representative for Human Rights and Civil Liberties, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Hearing on: “Oversight of the Administration’s FY 2017 Refugee Resettlement Program.”

We seek a world free of war and the threat of war We seek a society with equity and justice for all We seek a community where every person’s potential may be fulfilled We seek an earth restored

My message is simple: I believe that a Spirit led life leaves us no choice but social action.

Assuming there may be people in this Meeting who might find dissonance between Quakerism and leadership, consider three key practices of both our faith and of leadership: listening, trusting, and acting.

Many foundations and other institutional funders are now requiring that grantees certify as a condition for receiving a grant that they are not supporting terrorism.

As the U.S. government prepares to expand its military action against Iraq into a preemptive war for regime change, we call on our policymakers and the world community to employ peaceful strategies to address the problems of terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and abusive regimes.

FCNL urges Congress and President Obama to act in support of peaceful, transparent, and fair elections in Nigeria.

This bipartisan Freedom of Religion Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit denying admission to the United States based on an individual’s religion.

The message of these most recent attacks is universal: every person should be afraid. Our responses to that message, however, need not accept the invitation to fear. Rejecting fear gives us space to think rationally about the responses that will ensure our collective safety over the long term.

Today the Friends Committee on National Legislation applauds our nation’s delivery of its first payment to the Green Climate Fund.