Statement

The foundation of our country is at stake—whatever the outcome is of the ongoing impeachment trial in the Senate.

As young adults, we only faintly remember what life was like before Sept. 11, if we remember at all. Since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, we have made it through elementary, middle, and high school. We’ve applied to colleges, finished our degrees, moved away from home, and entered the workforce—and the entire time, the U.S. has been carrying out military actions halfway across the world.

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.