The San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today commended Bay Area Reps. Mark DeSaulnier, John Garamendi, Josh Harder, Ro Khanna, Zoe Lofgren, Kevin Mullin, Nancy Pelosi, and Lateefah Simon for voting to oppose $3.3 billion in new funding for the Israeli government.
CAIR-SFBA also strongly condemned Reps. Sam Liccardo and Jimmy Panetta for voting to continue the funding and expressed disappointment with Reps. Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson for voting “present.”
The House of Representatives ultimately rejected Rep. Thomas Massie’s Amendment No. 8 to H.R. 8595 in a 104–314 vote. However, a record number of members voted against the funding, including a majority of House Democrats.
In a statement, CAIR-SFBA Policy Coordinator Musa Tariq said:
“We commend the eight Bay Area representatives who voted to stop the waste of American taxpayer dollars on the Israeli government’s crimes, and we strongly condemn those who voted to continue our nation’s complicity in genocide. We are also disappointed that two Bay Area representatives voted ‘present’ rather than taking a clear position against the funding.
“Although today’s vote to end $3.3 billion in taxpayer funding for the Israeli apartheid government did not pass, more members of Congress than ever before—including a majority of Democrats—voted to oppose Israeli war crimes that have killed tens of thousands of innocent people, many of them children, and caused a severe humanitarian catastrophe.
“Lawmakers are gradually catching up to the American public, which does not want elected officials to spend their taxpayer dollars on killing children and families across the Middle East. Americans across the political spectrum have engaged their representatives and demanded support for advancing American interests and values, not the whims of the Israeli government.
“The movement for justice must continue until U.S. policy reflects the principles of human rights, equal protection under the law, and respect for international humanitarian rights for all, including the Palestinian people.”
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, 408.498.5779, ladam@cair.com
