On September 21, the Senate voted on a resolution offered by Senators Chris Murphy [D-CT], Rand Paul [R-KY], Al Franken [D-MN], and Mike Lee [R-UT] to block an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The Murphy-Paul resolution was a challenge to U.S. support and participation in the Saudi war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi war in Yemen has been slammed by human rights groups for causing a humanitarian catastrophe, for violating international humanitarian law, and for violating U.S. laws against targeting civilians with U.S. weapons. Senator Feinstein voted to kill the Murphy-Paul resolution, effectively voting in favor of further arming Saudi Arabia. Senator Boxer voted against killing the resolution, effectively voting against continuing to arm Saudi Arabia. [1] S.J.Res.32, sponsored by Senators Chris Murphy, Rand Paul, Brian Schatz, and Sherrod Brown, would increase Congressional oversight over U.S. weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. [2] Thank Senator Boxer and challenge Senator Feinstein to explain her vote, and urge both to co-sponsor S.J.Res.32, by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145#position 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/32

On September 21, the Senate voted on a resolution offered by Senators Chris Murphy [D-CT], Rand Paul [R-KY], Al Franken [D-MN], and Mike Lee [R-UT] to block an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The Murphy-Paul-Franken-Lee resolution was a challenge to U.S. support and participation in the Saudi war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi war in Yemen has been sharply criticized by human rights groups for causing a humanitarian catastrophe, for violating international humanitarian law, and for violating U.S. laws against targeting civilians with U.S. weapons. Senator Murphy and Senator Blumenthal voted against killing the Murphy-Paul-Franken-Lee resolution, effectively voting against continuing to arm Saudi Arabia. [1] S.J.Res.32, sponsored by Senators Chris Murphy, Rand Paul, Brian Schatz, and Sherrod Brown, would increase Congressional oversight over U.S. weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. [2] Thank Senator Murphy and Senator Blumenthal and urge Senator Blumenthal to co-sponsor S.J.Res.32 by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145#position 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/32

On September 21, the Senate voted on a resolution offered by Senators Chris Murphy [D-CT], Rand Paul [R-KY], Al Franken [D-MN], and Mike Lee [R-UT] to block an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The Murphy-Paul-Franken-Lee resolution was a challenge to U.S. support and participation in the Saudi war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi war in Yemen has been sharply criticized by human rights groups for causing a humanitarian catastrophe, for violating international humanitarian law, and for violating U.S. laws against targeting civilians with U.S. weapons. Senator Franken and Senator Klobuchar voted against killing the Murphy-Paul-Franken-Lee resolution, effectively voting against continuing to arm Saudi Arabia. [1] S.J.Res.32, sponsored by Senators Chris Murphy, Rand Paul, Brian Schatz, and Sherrod Brown, would increase Congressional oversight over U.S. weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. [2] Thank Senator Franken and Senator Klobuchar and urge them to co-sponsor S.J.Res.32 by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145#position 2. https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/32

On September 21, the Senate voted on a resolution offered by Senators Chris Murphy [D-CT], Rand Paul [R-KY], Al Franken [D-MN], and Mike Lee [R-UT] to block an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The Murphy-Paul resolution was a challenge to U.S. support and participation in the Saudi war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi war in Yemen has been slammed by human rights groups for causing a humanitarian catastrophe, for violating international humanitarian law, and for violating U.S. laws against targeting civilians with U.S. weapons. Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell voted against killing the Murphy-Paul resolution, effectively voting against continuing to arm Saudi Arabia. [1] Thank Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145#position

The Libingan ng mga Bayani is for the President and Soldiers who served our country.

On September 21, the Senate voted on a resolution offered by Senators Chris Murphy [D-CT], Rand Paul [R-KY], Al Franken [D-MN], and Mike Lee [R-UT] to block an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The Murphy-Paul resolution was a challenge to U.S. support and participation in the Saudi war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi war in Yemen has been slammed by human rights groups for causing a humanitarian catastrophe, for violating international humanitarian law, and for violating U.S. laws against targeting civilians with U.S. weapons. Senator Durbin and Senator Kirk voted against killing the Murphy-Paul resolution, effectively voting against continuing to arm Saudi Arabia. [1] Thank Senator Durbin and Senator Kirk by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145#position

On September 21, the Senate voted on a resolution offered by Senators Chris Murphy [D-CT], Rand Paul [R-KY], Al Franken [D-MN], and Mike Lee [R-UT] to block an arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The Murphy-Paul resolution was a challenge to U.S. support and participation in the Saudi war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudi war in Yemen has been slammed by human rights groups for causing a humanitarian catastrophe, for violating international humanitarian law, and for violating U.S. laws against targeting civilians with U.S. weapons. Senator Johnson voted to kill the Murphy-Paul resolution, effectively voting in favor of further arming Saudi Arabia. Senator Baldwin voted against killing the resolution, effectively voting against continuing to arm Saudi Arabia. [1] Thank Senator Baldwin and rebuke Senator Johnson by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145#position

Three important Congressional initiatives are happening this week to support diplomacy to reduce violence in the Middle East. Reps. Conyers, Moulton, and Walz are circulating a letter to support the Administration's diplomatic efforts for a cease-fire in Syria's civil war and the restoration of international humanitarian aid in Syria. The letter also calls for the Administration to extend these efforts to restoring the cease-fire and the political talks with Houthi rebels in Yemen and to restoring the cease-fire and political talks between the Turkish government and Kurdish rebels in Turkey. Restoration of the peace process between the Turkish government and Kurdish rebels in Turkey, necessary to reduce needless suffering for civilians in Turkey, is also widely seen as necessary to help end the Syrian civil war, because the Turkish-Kurdish conflict in Turkey is now entangled with a Turkish-Kurdish conflict in Syria. Senators Murphy, Paul, Franken, and Lee have introduced a bill to disapprove the Saudi arms deal (SJ Res 39). Representatives Lieu and Mulvaney have introduced a companion bill in the House (HJ Res 98). Congressional support of these bills will put pressure on the Saudis to agree to restore the cease-fire and talks for a political and diplomatic resolution of the war between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels in Yemen. Urge your Representative and Senators to support these Congressional initiatives in support of diplomacy to reduce violence in the Middle East by signing our petition.

Although his administration signed the UNCRC, President Bill Clinton never pushed the Senate for ratification. Nor did George W. Bush. At a debate on youth issues a month before the 2008 election, then candidate Obama said: “It’s embarrassing to find ourselves in the company of Somalia, a lawless land. I will review this and other treaties to ensure the United States resumes its global leadership in human rights.” (At the time there were only two countries that had not ratified because South Sudan was not yet an independent nation. These two nations have since ratified the treaty.) It is now 2025. Thirteen years have passed. Unfortunately, President Obama has not acted, despite this campaign pledge. President Trump has not acted, as well. The Convention outlines the basic human rights that children everywhere should enjoy, among them the rights to survival, to develop to the fullest and to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation. How am I affected? I am a German citizen who is the father of two young children who are US citizens. Because of US immigration law, I must periodically return to my home country. While I was abroad, in 2014, I was neither able to write to my children or to talk to them via telephone or Skype for over nine months. I am back in Germany again, only to find myself in the same situation. No contact for three months now. Among many essential rights outlined in the convention, there are two articles who could help my girl and my boy since they emphasize the importance of frequent contact between children and their parents: Article 9 (Separation from parents): Children have the right to live with their fit parents. Children whose parents do not live together have the right to stay in contact with both parents, unless this might hurt the child. Article 10 (Family reunification): Families whose members live in different countries should be allowed to move between those countries so that parents and children can stay in contact, or get back together as a family. There is a troubling lack of awareness of and education on child protection issues. However, these issues do not receive any media attention in the U.S. Our leaders like to say the U.S. is the world leader on human rights. That claim is undermined by its failure to join the rest of the world in ratifying this convention. This needs to stop. We owe it to our children. President Obama, please ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child .. because it is the most successful human rights treaty in human history! https://www.facebook.com/UNCRCPetitionUS/ https://www.twitter.com/UN_CRC/

Last year, due to the massive earthquake and the numerous aftershocks in Nepal, the death toll exceeded 9,000 and over eight million people were affected. According to recent news reports, tens of thousands of Nepalis are still living in tents. Recent floods due to heavy monsoon rains have exacerbated the problems, destabilizing the already troubled recovery efforts further, while creating new need for relief.

On August 8, the Obama administration notified Congress [1] of intent to sell $1.15 billion of weapons to Saudi Arabia, including tanks that would replace tanks destroyed in Saudi Arabia's war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. We urge Senator Jerry Moran to oppose this deal and to co-sponsor a resolution of disapproval against it. Past Congressional concerns about Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen have not been addressed. In October, Members of Congress wrote to the Administration [2] urging greater efforts to avoid civilian casualties in Yemen and achieve a diplomatic solution to the conflict. In June, 204 Members of the House, including 40 Republicans and all but 16 Democrats, voted to block the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia after reports of their use in civilian areas in Yemen. [3] Yet, since the proposed arms deal was announced, a Saudi airstrike on a school in Yemen killed 10 children [4] – some as young as 6-years-old – and a Saudi airstrike on an MSF hospital in Yemen killed 11 people. [5] On August 30, 64 Members of the House signed a letter urging that the Saudi arms deal be delayed so that Congress can fully consider it. [6] Urge Senator Moran to cosponsor legislation to oppose the Saudi arms deal by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales/kingdom-saudi-arabia-m1a2s-saudi-abrams-main-battle-tanks-and-m88ala2-heavy 2. https://debbiedingell.house.gov/sites/debbiedingell.house.gov/files/documents/151014_Yemen%20Airstrike%20Letter.pdf 3. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2016/roll327.xml 4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yemen-school-airstrike_us_57b1938fe4b007c36e4f2f67 5. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-idUSKCN10Q1E0 6. https://www.yahoo.com/news/60-lawmakers-seek-delay-billion-211716904.html; http://www.defensenews.com/articles/sixty-us-lawmakers-want-to-freeze-115-billion-arms-sale-to-saudi-arabia

On August 8, the Obama administration notified Congress [1] of intent to sell $1.15 billion of weapons to Saudi Arabia, including tanks that would replace tanks destroyed in Saudi Arabia's war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. We urge Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Senate candidate Governor Maggie Hassan to oppose this deal and to support a resolution of disapproval against it. Past Congressional concerns about Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen have not been addressed. In October, Members of Congress wrote to the Administration [2] urging greater efforts to avoid civilian casualties in Yemen and achieve a diplomatic solution to the conflict. In June, 204 Members of the House, including 40 Republicans and all but 16 Democrats, voted to block the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia after reports of their use in civilian areas in Yemen. [3] Yet, since the proposed arms deal was announced, a Saudi airstrike on a school in Yemen killed 10 children [4] – some as young as 6-years-old – and a Saudi airstrike on an MSF hospital in Yemen killed 11 people. [5] On August 30, 64 Members of the House signed a letter urging that the Saudi arms deal be delayed so that Congress can fully consider it. [6] Urge Senator Shaheen and Governor Hassan to oppose the Saudi arms deal by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales/kingdom-saudi-arabia-m1a2s-saudi-abrams-main-battle-tanks-and-m88ala2-heavy 2. https://debbiedingell.house.gov/sites/debbiedingell.house.gov/files/documents/151014_Yemen%20Airstrike%20Letter.pdf 3. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2016/roll327.xml 4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/yemen-school-airstrike_us_57b1938fe4b007c36e4f2f67 5. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-idUSKCN10Q1E0 6. https://www.yahoo.com/news/60-lawmakers-seek-delay-billion-211716904.html; http://www.defensenews.com/articles/sixty-us-lawmakers-want-to-freeze-115-billion-arms-sale-to-saudi-arabia