August 1, 2024
In January of this year, the Biden administration halted US funding to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), a decision that has had catastrophic humanitarian effects on the suffering people of Gaza. This was based on unsubstantiated Israeli claims that a small number (12) of UNRWA employees(13,000) were colluding with Hamas. Then in March, and still without evidence, Congress made the ban permanent until March of 2025.
UNRWA provides food, medicine and other essential services, including running schools for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian children in the besieged enclave. It is the primary humanitarian aid provider for the people of Gaza and has been for years.
Supporters in the House have introduced the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024. They need to get co-sponsors signed on by an extended deadline of Friday, August 8.
While all other countries that suspended aid as a result of Israel's false claims have now reinstated it, the US is alone in refusing to end its ban.
CD1 consituents PLEASE THANK REPRESENTATIVE PINGREE for cosponsoring * the Carson,Jayapal, Schakowsky bill to restore vital funding to the humanitarian assistance organization UNRWA.
Representative Chellie Pingree
DC office - (202) 225-6116 Portland District Office -207-774-5019 Twitter @chelliepingree
(shout out to PA/MVPR/FCNL)
Current co-sponsors:
Original Cosponsors (50): Beyer, Bowman, Bush, Cárdenas, Casar, Castro, Chu, Cleaver, Davis (IL), DeLauro, DeSaulnier, Dingell, Doggett, Evans, Frost, Garamendi, García (IL), Green, Grijalva, Hayes, Huffman, Jackson (IL), Jacobs, Johnson (GA), Khanna, Kildee, Lee (CA), Lee (PA), Lynch, McCollum, McGovern, Moore (WI), Norton, Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pingree, Pocan, Pressley, Ramirez, Raskin, Sanchez, Stansbury, Tlaib, Tonko, Velazquez, Waters, Watson Coleman
