Capitol Hill Remains Abuzz With Activism

WASHINGTON (11-15) – It has become a familiar scene on Capitol Hill this short week in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election with activists swarming representatives’ offices seeking their support on numerous issues including the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Foremost among the issues is seeking a permanent ceasefire and restoration of humanitarian aid along with Israel’s having not met the Biden administration’s 30-day ultimatum to do so or face an end to military weapons transfers.

Yesterday, Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) called for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to resign for not holding Israel to account for its blocking of U.S. aid into Gaza. The State Department announced its decision by releasing a statement saying in part that they “…have not made assessments that the Israelis are in violation of U.S. law.”

Tlaib responded saying “The Biden administration cannot pick and choose when they comply with our own laws,” referring to U.S. law under Section 6201 of the Foreign Assistance Act. For now, the U.S. will continue supplying weapons and Israel will not pay a price for willfully ignoring its obligation under U.S. law. This, at the expense of all Gazans who suffer daily through a politically induced famine and other horrors.

Another issue activists are seeking support for is the defeat of H. R. 9495, the “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.” The act includes a provision under “SEC. 4. Termination of tax-exempt status of terrorist-supporting organizations for supporting terrorism.” The designation of who is a terrorist-supporting organization under the act would be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury.

While H. R. 9495 was defeated on Nov. 12 by not achieving the required 2/3rds majority vote for its passage, it has been rescheduled to be voted on again this coming Monday, November 18, with only a simple majority required for its passage. Therefore, it was imperative to engender as much support as possible among representatives to defeat the legislation. However, with fewer votes required for passage, it is highly likely that it will pass.

With the designation of a terrorist-supporting organization to be determined by the Secretary of Treasury, political enemies of the administration, and non-aligned NGOs will most probably fall into that category when the new administration arrives in January. This would have a stifling effect on First Amendment Rights.

The urgency of its defeat was expressed to staff members in representatives’ offices by several groups with intersecting interests all this week. Among them were members from Veterans for Peace and the American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine whose 27 members spread out across the Hill visiting members in the House and Senate.

Among the Ramallah groups talking points was in the seeking of support for a yes vote on H.R. 9649, the “UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024.” The act calls for the funding of the UN organizations operations in Gaza by stopping “further erosion of civilian conditions in Gaza” that is in the “…strategic and moral interests of the United States.” And in, “…supporting UNRWA’s unique and indispensable contribution in immediately addressing urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, especially in mitigating and stopping the spread of famine.”

The group also is calling on support for legislation in ending the settler violence in the West Bank, in ending anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism and hate crimes and for the protection of Christians and Christian sites in Jerusalem.

Next week will be pivotal on many fronts in the remaining days of the Biden administration and on American democracy.

Report and photos by Phil Pasquini

© 2024 nuzeink all rights reserved worldwide