<[link removed]>



Tell The House Foreign Affairs Committee: You FAILED!



<[link removed]>TAKE ACTION! <[link removed]>



Dear John,



What a week it’s been at Congress! We’ve been absolutely blown away by the energy and dedication you all brought. Every day, you showed up ready to make your voices heard, taking a firm stand against the horrific genocide happening in Gaza.



We shook things up big time - from interrupting a House hearing on Yemen, to hand-delivering your heartfelt valentines for Gaza, to staging a sit-in with the legendary Susan Sarandon. Plus, getting face-to-face time with powerhouses like Reps Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush was just the cherry on top.



We’ve put together a recap of all the incredible moments, conversations, and bold moves made last week. Let’s keep the momentum rolling. Your involvement is making waves, and there’s so much more we can do together.



Next week, members of Congress will be back in their home districts. If you happen to live in one of these areas, this is your golden opportunity to get involved and make your voice heard up close and personal. We totally encourage you to seize the moment, swing by, share your thoughts. We’d love to see you in action, so don’t forget to tag us in your social media posts! As we gear up for an action-packed week from February 26 to March 1 in the Senate, let’s stay engaged, informed, and connected.



<www.codepink.org/congress4pal>RSPV here <www.codepink.org/congress4pal>



Please read our recap below. Stay strong, stay passionate, and don’t stop talking about Palestine.



We Gave Congress a New Heart



16 February 2024



By Isra Nadeem



On Sunday, February 11th, as most Americans watched the Super Bowl, the people of Rafah were bombed in an assault that led to 95+ deaths. The following night, the Senate held a late-night vote to pass a $95.3 billion package that includes new assistance for Ukraine and funding for Israel and Taiwan. The vote was finalized at 6 in the morning, with 70 voting in favor and 29 senators voting against it. This package contains $14.1 billion for the Israeli military to continue its genocide of the Gazan people. This week at CODEPINK, we gathered and went from office to office to hold those supporting this genocide funding accountable 







Sixty-nine representatives, and 5 senators have called for a ceasefire. Over 28,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel. 



Monday, February 12th



To start the week, we decided to visit the office of the Republican leader from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell <[link removed]>. When the bill was passed, McConnell said "History settles all scores. And today, regarding the importance of American leadership and power, History will note that the Senate stood firm without hesitation." The Senate stood firm without hesitation in its support of the genocide of Palestinians. We created a massacre scene, right in his office,  to bring the scenes of violence he is supporting to his doorstep. We won’t let genocide supporters from either party forget what they stand for.







Tuesday, February 13th



On Tuesday, we visited democratic representatives, particularly those Democrats who chose to endorse the bill allocating funds and weapons <[link removed]> to Israel that will lead to more civilian casualties. Additionally, they voted to cease funding for UNRWA, which provides humanitarian aid to Gazans already suffering from famine and illness. This list includes <[link removed]>Senators Van Hollen and Warren, whose hypocrisy was evident when they voted for the bill's passage but previously called for a ceasefire. We also visited Senators Murphy, Butler, Durbin, Heinrich, Schatz and Hirono. During our time in Durbin's office, we expressed our great disappointment in him, as the previous time we went to his office, we thanked him for his calling for a ceasefire and voting decisions. Now, we are in his office to remind him that the bill he voted for will continue to arm Israel and kill the children in Palestine.







Wednesday, February 14th



Will you free my Palestine <[link removed]>? On Wednesday, we went to Capitol Hill and joined Teachers Against Genocide to send a message of "Have a heart, save Gaza." We asked the children <[link removed]>, "Who are you sending love to for Valentine's Day?" Their responses were, "To Gaza and Palestine," "the children of Gaza and Palestine," "Palestine," and "To the children and parents of Gaza." Even these young children know that the people of Palestine need love and care. We also disrupted a House hearing on Yemen, where Trump-era CIA, Pentagon, and State Department officials testified. The Houthis in Yemen are pressuring the US and Israel to stop the genocide in Gaza by preventing ships from traveling through the Red Sea to Israel. They are not targeting civilians or posing a direct threat to the U.S., yet the U.S. has begun bombing Yemen in response. During the hearing, <[link removed]> some members of Congress called for escalation rather than recognizing that the Red Sea blockade will end when the genocide in Gaza ends. Some officials even suggested the United States begin attacking Iran instead of de-escalating. Everyone who disrupted the hearing was escorted out. Check out our Photo Gallery here <[link removed]>.



<[link removed]>



Thursday, February 15th



On Thursday, we were so excited to be joined by actress Susan Sarandon, <[link removed]> who faced a vicious backlash for her support of Palestine. We attempted to have Susan meet with Hakeem Jeffries about his unwavering support for Israel, but the representative refused. Corey Bush and Rashida Tlaib openly met with Susan and the Palestinian advocates. Susan left us with a clear and inspiring message <[link removed]>: “There has never been peace attained through violence. We have to have a permanent ceasefire and save the lives of all those people that are now basically in a corner.” Check out our Photo Gallery here <[link removed]>.







Friday February 16th



Friday was spent in the Rayburn congressional building, where we went from office to office to continue our demands for a ceasefire, restoration of UNRWA funding, and no more money to Israel. We discussed the $95.3 billion package with lots of offices and explained the importance of keeping our hard earned tax dollars here.







👉 Don't stop applying pressure! Take action:



- Take action daily for Palestine! <[link removed]>



- Check out our BDS toolkit! <[link removed]>

- Join the #FastforGaza! <[link removed]>Or if you’re unable to, Send Food to Gaza! <[link removed]>



- Join us on 2/26 for the next Missing Peace Monday Community Call! <[link removed]>



- Join our Palestine ListServ! <[link removed]>



Towards Peace,

Medea, Jodie, Isra, Michelle and the whole CODEPINK Team with Susan Sarandon



P.S. Spread the message that "Occupation Isn't Pretty" by purchasing our Stolen Beauty t-shirt! <[link removed]>











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