House Democrats urge Biden to pressure Saudis on 'unconscionable' Yemen blockade
The lawmakers called on Biden to use the full weight of US influence to end the sea and air blockade, which aid agencies say is exacerbating Yemen's humanitarian crisis.
A group of House Democrats are calling on President Joe Biden to publicly pressure Saudi Arabia to end its “unconscionable” naval and air blockade of Yemen that threatens the lives of 16 million Yemenis already on the brink of famine.
Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) led more than 70 of their colleagues in a letter to Biden on Tuesday, calling on the president to use the “full weight of US influence and all tools at your disposal to end the blockade.”
"We ask you to take additional steps to publicly pressure Saudi Arabia to lift this blockade immediately, unilaterally, and comprehensively," the letter read.
"This must include guaranteeing that humanitarian and commercial imports can freely enter Yemen; entrusting security oversight to the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM); fully permitting flights in and out of Sana’a airport; and ensuring that and crossings for commercial and civilian traffic are permanently opened," the Democrats wrote.
