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 Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ed Markey 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] Urge Senator Warren and Senator Markey 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

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 Tom Udall and Senator Martin Heinrich to oppose this deal and to co-sponsor a Senate resolution 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] Urge Senator Udall and Senator Heinrich to co-sponsor a resolution to disapprove 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

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 Jeff Merkley and Senator Ron Wyden to oppose this deal and to co-sponsor a Senate resolution 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] Urge Senator Merkley and Senator Wyden to co-sponsor a resolution to disapprove 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

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 Al Franken and Senator Amy Klobuchar to oppose this deal and to co-sponsor a Senate resolution 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] Urge Senator Franken and Senator Klobuchar to co-sponsor a resolution to disapprove 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

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 Tammy Baldwin and Senate candidate Russ Feingold to oppose this deal. 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] Urge Senator Baldwin and Senate candidate Feingold 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

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 Bernie Sanders and Senator Patrick Leahy 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] Urge Senator Sanders and Senator Leahy 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

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 Dick Durbin and Representative Tammy Duckworth 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] Urge Senator Durbin and Representative Duckworth 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

One person shouldn’t have the power to end the world. The President alone holds the key to the U.S. nuclear arsenal and has the unchecked authority to launch these weapons. That is a problem no matter who is in the Oval Office because there is too much risk that the President will make a wrong and ultimately deadly decision. The United States has possessed nuclear weapons for 71 years and is the only nation to have used nuclear weapons first in war. Today, nuclear weapons are 10-20 times more powerful than the ones dropped on Japan during World War II. Any scope of nuclear war would cause unimaginable human suffering and planet-wide destruction. For these reasons, a nuclear attack must never happen again. One way to constrain the president’s nuclear launch authority and minimize the risk of nuclear attack would be through a “No First Use” policy. This policy would make it clear that that the United States would never use nuclear weapons first against another country. A No First Use policy would strengthen our national security by reducing the risk of launching nuclear weapons by accident or miscalculation. President Obama has little time left in office, but the perils of U.S. nuclear weapons will remain through the next administration. The Presidential candidates, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Donald J. Trump, must pledge that they would never authorize a first strike with America’s nuclear arsenal. They should take a pledge of No First Use. Articles for Reference: • New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/opinion/end-the-first-use-policy-for-nuclear-weapons.html?_r=2 • Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erica-fein/trump-and-clinton-could-d_b_11652498.html? • Defense One: http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2016/08/obamas-last-chance-terminate-us-nuclear-policy-thanks-trump/130762 • Survey Data: https://today.yougov.com/news/2016/08/11/poll-results-nuclear-weapons/ • Wall Street Journal: http://www.wsj.com/video/obama-considers-nuclear-no-first-use-policy/C115A6D5-79B5-4B2B-B1B3-1CF9D29CFCF4.html • The Case for No First Use: https://fsi.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/51-3_12_Sagan_author_proof.pdf

The Defense Department notified Congress August 8 of a proposed sale of 153 tanks and 20 armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia. [1] Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia has led a U.S.-backed coalition fighting to restore Yemen’s ousted president Hadi to power and to destroy military forces loyal to the Houthi movement and former president Saleh. The UN estimates that more than 3,500 civilians have been killed since March 2015, and almost twice as many wounded; the coalition has been responsible for roughly 75% of all civilian casualties. [2] Saudi Arabia has enforced a blockade, cutting off supplies of food, fuel, and medicine. A year and a half into the war, the health system has largely broken down, and much of the country is on the brink of starvation. [3] This proposed arms transfer would signal to actors in Yemen that the U.S. seeks to escalate the war rather than seek a negotiated resolution to the conflict. Congress has a 30-day period during which it can block or modify the sale. Urge Members of Congress to advocate for blocking the sale by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/08/11/the-u-s-will-rearm-saudi-arabia-to-the-tune-of-1-5b-as-airstrikes-resume-in-yemen/ 2. http://www.voanews.com/a/yemen-civilian-casualties/3370540.html 3. http://harpers.org/archive/2016/09/acceptable-losses/

In days, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman will decide whether to destroy 40% of the Palestinian village of Susya, leaving a hundred people homeless. [1] Susya residents live on their agricultural lands, having been expelled from their original homes after an Israeli settlement was established nearby. Systematically denied building permits for decades, the families live in constant fear of demolitions. Parts of their village were bulldozed in 2001, 2006 and 2011. In July 2015, envoys from every EU state visited the village in solidarity. A month later, the U.S. expressed strong opposition to “any demolitions in the village.” But apparently, these statements have not been enough to make sure these families don’t see their homes destroyed again. Urge Secretary Kerry to use the full influence of the United States to prevent the demolition of Susya by signing our petition. References: 1. http://jstreet.org/blog/post/whats-happening-in-the-palestinian-village-of-susya--and-what-we-can-do_1

Georgia Democratic Representative Hank Johnson has been outspoken in his defense of human rights. For example, he is the lead sponsor of the Berta Caceres Human Rights in Honduras Act, challenging U.S. military and police aid to the government of Honduras because of the Honduran government's failure to address its gross abuses of human rights. [1] Recently, the Washington Free Beacon, a Sheldon Adelson-funded newspaper that supports Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, manufactured a controversy out of criticisms that Rep. Johnson made of Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. Rep. Johnson clarified his remarks. J Street wrote, "The Congressman was clearly referring to the corrosive impact of the settlement enterprise on the two-state solution and not to individuals. The Free Beacon and its headline writers have, as is their habit, taken irresponsible liberties with the words actually spoken in an effort to advance their political agenda. The proper focus of media coverage here should be on the growing political opposition to Israeli settlement growth and not on the misrepresentations by an irresponsible media outlet." [2] It is important that Members of Congress not conclude from this episode that they cannot criticize Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, as Peter Beinart, writing in Haaretz, suggested they might. [3] Urge Rep. Johnson to continue speaking out in the future about Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank by signing our petition. References: 1. http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/cosponsor-the-berta-caceres?r_by=1135580 2. http://jstreet.org/blog/post/j-street-welcomes-rep-johnson-clarification-of-remarks-_1 3. http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.734850

Hillary Clinton has chosen Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate. As a Senator, Kaine has been adamant that the Obama Administration comply with the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution in undertaking military action in Syria, by getting an authorization for the use of military force from Congress. [1] Michele Flournoy, whom some believe to be Hillary Clinton's most likely nominee for Secretary of Defense, has advocated for the direct use of U.S. troops to bring about regime change in Syria. [2] But so far Flournoy hasn't clarified whether she believes that President Clinton would need authorization for the use of military force from Congress to carry out Flournoy's plan. Urge Kaine to keep insisting that the President comply with the War Powers Resolution by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/07/23/tim-kaine-is-not-a-perfect-choice-but-hes-a-pretty-good-one/ 2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/how-a-senator-grayson-cou_b_11096446.html