Political Quotes

On the recordDecember 12, 2018
under our Constitution, we have article I, which addresses the powers of Congress, and article II, the powers of the Presidency. Our Founders were so concerned that the President would take us into war without justification that they made sure to explicitly place the power to go to war with Congress--with the House and Senate. But here we are, debating the issue of how the President took us into war in Yemen as a facilitator of Saudi Arabia, providing intelligence, providing advice, refueling planes, providing armaments. It is time for us to take a powerful and clear stand and change this and end this. Here is what has been going on. For multiple years now, Saudi Arabia has been bombing the civilian infrastructure of Yemen, indiscriminately slaughtering civilians, destroying schools and hospitals and neighborhoods and water systems. What is the result of destroying the water systems? The largest outbreak of cholera in the history of humankind. We now have well over 100 children under the age of 5 dying of hunger and starvation each day. We are told by the experts that 8 to 14 million people are at risk of starvation, but many are already starving, and not just children under 5--the whole spectrum of society. We have been directly involved in ways that, in my mind, violate the War Powers Act by directly facilitating the movement of armaments and assisting Saudi Arabia in this assault, and this assault must end.…
Said by
Jeff Merkley
Democratic · Oregon
Source
govinfo.gov
Dec 12, 2018

Share

More from Jeff Merkley

Aug 19, 2026

Oregon has the best wood products in the world, and federal support helps keep our state at the forefront of timber innovation while uplifting our rural communities.

wyden.senate.gov
Jul 28, 2026

“Our veterans face tremendous hurdles, including access to medical care when they live in rural areas,”

wyden.senate.gov
Aug 5, 2026

For the good of our country, the rule of law, and the American people, we demand that you change course and restore the previously awarded funding.

wyden.senate.gov
Aug 14, 2026

If we don't repair the Constitution, we don't have a republic.

reason.com

Other voices in this conversation