Congressman Casten should support amendment to strip $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel

Congressman Casten should support amendment to strip $3.3 billion in military aid to Israel

The House Rules Committee has advanced Rep. Thomas Massie's amendment to strip $3.3 billion in funding for the Israeli Defense Forces from the federal budget. The vote could come as early as this Wednesday.

As leader of West Suburban Peace Coalition based Rep. Sean Casten's 6th Congressional District, I reached out to both his D.C. and local office to learn if Casten would support this critically needed amendment. Neither staff member responding had any idea of this amendment, much less whether Casten would support it.

Rep. Casten has largely ignored foreign affairs in his 4 terms as congressman in the IL 6th. Foreign Affairs ranks dead last of 7 major issues listed on his website casten.house.gov. Regarding Gaza, Casten refuses to do what Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Thomas have courageously done; call out as genocide Israel's destruction of Gaza's 139 square miles, hundreds of thousands of dead and wounded, and inexorable seizure of Palestinian land. Casten merely offers, "It is evident that major changes are needed in order to bring security and peace to Israelis and Palestinians. The United States has a responsibility to do everything in its power to prevent future suffering and allow aid to flow into Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis."

That is just 'happy talk' that Casten has been offering his constituents for nearly 3 years regarding possibly the most murderous, heinous US foreign policy ever. Casten lists his letters and other pleas to government officials to do more to end the violence, but no concrete steps to achieve end to the genocide and creation of a Palestinian state.

By stark contrast, Rep. Massie's amendment is the first effort ever to drawback US aid which facilitates the genocide in Gaza and now the near genocidal ethnic cleansing of Shi'ites in Southern Lebanon. Sen. Bernie Sanders has been nearly alone among the other 533 congressperson in supporting of Massie's amendment to go along with his longtime call to end the genocide weapons pipeline to Israel.

IL 6th District residents should call has local or D.C. office to voice their support for Casten's vote to deliver on his promise that "The United States...do everything in its power to prevent future suffering and allow aid to flow into Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis "

Walt Zlotow West Suburban Peace Coalition Glen Ellyn IL