Statement

The Trump administration’s assassination of the military commander of Iran’s Quds Force is a dangerous escalation of the confrontation with Iran that will lead to more bloodshed, further destabilize Iraq, and expand conflict and instability throughout the Middle East.

There is no joy in the impeachment proceedings that are moving forward in Congress. As the House Judiciary Committee debated the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, we saw the settling gloom of congressional partisanship. Painful as this process is, the Friends Committee on National Legislation fully supports the impeachment process established by the U.S. Constitution.

On Dec. 6, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 326, a resolution affirming U.S. support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and opposing unilateral annexation of Palestinian territory. This resolution is an explicit rejection of the administration’s efforts to undermine the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.

As an organization called by faith to seek a more peaceful, more just world based on respect for international law and human rights, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) urges members of Congress to vote NO on the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The Department of Agriculture recently unveiled a proposed rule that would reduce Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by $4.5 billion over five years. FCNL submitted a public comment on Nov. 26 decrying the proposal, which would have an outsize impact on low-income families and marginalized communities.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation repudiates the statement by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the United States government regards all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory as legal. FCNL supports the right of Israelis and Palestinians to self-determination and security in their own homeland.

As a Quaker organization committed to ending all wars, the Friends Committee on National Legislation calls on Turkey to immediately end its assault on northeastern Syria and urges the U.S. government to pursue a diplomatic solution to this quickly-deteriorating situation.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation supports the ongoing impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump led by the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Sept. 25, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “Protecting America from Assault Weapons.” FCNL submitted this statement in advance of the hearing, calling on Congress to mark up and pass the Assault Weapons Ban of 2019 (H.R. 1296).

FCNL sent the following statement to the House Judiciary Committee to be entered into the record for their hearing: The Expansion and Troubling Use of ICE Detention. FCNL urges members of Congress to increase oversight of existing detention facilities and design policies that reduce the overall detention of immigrants in favor of community-based alternatives and support.