Veterans' Compensation Cost-Of-Living Adjustment Act of 2023

Floor Speech

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Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, 5 years ago, I stood in this Chamber and condemned the Saudi military campaign in Yemen. Today, I rise once again to condemn the egregious violence that continues to haunt the Yemeni people.

Last weekend marked the 8-year anniversary of the start of the conflict--8 years of families being torn apart by war; 8 years of children going without access to food, healthcare, and quality education; 8 years of destruction that has caused one of the greatest humanitarian crises since World War II.

The Republic of Yemen has been torn apart by multiple armed conflicts, and, as a result, the Yemeni people have been caught in between an internal power struggle as well as a regional proxy conflict. Saudi Arabia has taken advantage of Yemen's domestic strife and led a military campaign that has only heightened the conflict and caused further destruction.

The previous conflicts, along with the current war, have collectively eroded central governance in Yemen and left more than 24 million of Yemen's 31 million citizens in dire need of assistance and protection.

I am proud that Michigan is home to the largest Yemeni population outside of Yemen. The diaspora community is vibrant and has endured harms that no community should have to.

The circumstances under which many have immigrated to the United States is truly devastating. It is estimated that there are roughly 4.5 million displaced Yemenis as a result of this conflict, with a majority of those displaced still in Yemen. Those that remain continue to face food and housing insecurity, with over half of the total population requiring humanitarian assistance.

We have failed the Yemeni people with our longstanding military support for the Saudi Arabian military coalition in Yemen, and I applaud--I applaud--President Biden's decision to end all U.S. support for offensive operations in Yemen. We must continue to build on this measure and ensure that the United States is in no way--in no way-- involved in the continuation of this war.

The failure of warring parties to come to an agreement to extend the U.N.-backed truce demonstrates that this conflict is, unfortunately, far from over. The United States must continue to leverage all diplomatic tools available to assist in the peace process.

As we enter into the ninth year of this conflict, I encourage all of my colleagues to reflect on the lives lost, the children who never got to grow up, and the communities that will never be the same. The Yemeni people have remained resilient in the face of extreme adversity, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we continue to be strong partners in providing aid and securing peace.

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