Join CODEPINK Congress for our Tuesday, February 20th Capitol Calling Party! Hear productive and peaceful conversations, share resources and take action!
Now that the US Senate has shamefully passed a $95 billion gift to the weapons industry, it’s up to the people to stop the war supplemental–a supplement to our $886 billion dollar military budget– from hitting the House floor in March. The Senate bill includes another $14.3 billion for weapons for Israel’s genocide in Gaza, $60 billion to continue the war in Ukraine (bringing that total to $170 billion) and almost $8 billion to further militarize east Asia for a confrontation with China. The bill also includes $9 billion in humanitarian aid to be split between Ukraine, Israel and Gaza; In other words; a few sips of water before the bombing resumes.
As if that isn’t bad enough, the Senate bill also includes a prohibition against US funding for UNRWA, the lifeline for water and food to Gaza, to threaten mass starvation for over two million people. Finally, there’s a provision that allows President Biden to send unlimited weapons to Israel without the legally-required notification of Congress.
We need a ceasefire and negotiated peace settlements in both Gaza and Ukraine, not more war funding! Block this bill!
Featured Guests:
Medea Benjamin is the co-founder of CODEPINK and organizer of Capitol Hill antiwar advocacy. For the past few months, Medea and a group of 20-40 peace activists have gone from one congressional office to the next advocating for a ceasefire and lifting of the siege on Gaza and no more weapons for israel. Benjamin will share her insights on what she heard from members of Congress on how we can break through the bubble of disinformation and big money that envelopes them.
Moataz Salim is a Palestinian-American residing in Washington D.C., who is currently completing his doctoral studies in clinical psychology. Moataz’s father grew up in the Shujaiya refugee camp in the north of Gaza. Currently, the vast majority of Salim’s family on his father’s side, cousins, aunts, and uncles, are living in Gaza, where they have been displaced on several occasions. Tragically, the relentless onslaught against Gaza has claimed the lives of many of Salim’s family members. Motaz has joined CODEDPINK’s Capitol Hill delegation to tell lawmakers, “This genocide must stop.”
Ray McGovern was a CIA analyst of Russia’s relations with the US, China, & Europe, who briefed Presidential Lyndon Johnson on a daily basis. A founder of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, McGovern has written extensively about both Ukraine and Gaza, asserting that Israel used the October 7 attack as a pretext for the preexisting master plan to get rid of the Palestinians whose presence blocks the establishment of Greater Israel with sovereign control over the West Bank and at least portions of Gaza. Fearing that media brainwashing is deceiving people into seeing war with Russia and slaughter in Gaza as necessary, Ray and VIPS rely on facts to expose the lying.
Nicolai Petro, professor and author, “The Tragedy of Ukraine.” – Nicolai N. Petro is Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island. As a Council on Foreign Relations Fellow (1989-1990), he served as special assistant for policy toward the Soviet Union in the U.S. Department of State. His books include: The Tragedy of Ukraine (2023), Ukraine in Crisis (2017), Crafting Democracy (2004), The Rebirth of Russian Democracy (1995), and Russian Foreign Policy (1997). He has also written for Asia Times, American Interest, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian (UK), The Nation, The National Interest, New York Times, and the Wilson Quarterly.
WHEN
– (PST)
WHERE
Zoom
CONTACT
Marcy Winograd · marcy@codepink.org