May 03, 2024

Congresswoman Bush Joins Jayapal, Dean, and 50+ Lawmakers Call on Administration to Help Prevent Assault on Rafah

Washington, D.C. (May 3, 2024) — Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) joined Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04) and 54 additional lawmakers in calling on the Biden Administration to use all tools possible to dissuade the Israeli government from moving forward with an offensive invasion into Rafah. 

“We write with urgency to say: an offensive invasion into Rafah by Israel in the upcoming days is wholly unacceptable,” wrote the Members. “Despite […] dire circumstances, the Israeli government is reportedly on the verge of a full-scale offensive on Rafah. An Israeli offensive in Rafah risks the start of yet another escalatory spiral, immediately putting the region back on the brink of a broader war that neither Israel nor the United States can afford.”

Before the horrific October 7th attack by Hamas on Israel, 280,000 Palestinians lived in Rafah. Now roughly 1.4 million people are sheltering in Rafah after being displaced. This dire humanitarian situation has been exacerbated by hindered access to food, water, and medicine in the Gaza Strip.

“We urge you to invoke existing law and policy to immediately withhold certain offensive military aid to the Israeli government, including aid sourced from legislation already signed into law, in order to preempt a full-scale assault on Rafah,” continued the Members. “If the Israeli government will not uphold international law and protect civilians, then the United States must act to protect innocent life. We urge you to continue your work toward achieving a lasting ceasefire that will bring hostages home and build a path toward safety and security for all.”

A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

The letter was also signed by Becca Balint (VT-At Large), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Donald S. Beyer Jr. (VA-08), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Gerald Connolly (VA-11), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Al Green (TX-09), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Dan Kildee (MI-08), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

Congresswoman Bush has remained a steadfast advocate for peace and a permanent  ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.

  • On October 16, 2023, Congresswoman Bush, alongside Congresswoman Tlaib, and Representatives André Carson (IN-07), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), introduced the Ceasefire Now Resolution, which urges the Biden Administration to call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible. Since its introduction, the Ceasefire Now Resolution has secured a total of 19 co-sponsors, and over 60 other members of Congress have come forward to publicly support a ceasefire.

  • Over the past four months, Congresswoman Bush has held several press conferences with different groups, including veterans, rabbis, doctors, and unions, to highlight the breadth of the ceasefire movement. 

  • Last month, Congresswoman Bush and Tlaib both expressed support for South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging Israel violated the Genocide Convention, and released a joint statement on the ICJ’s provisional measures ruling.

  • On January 12, 2024, Congresswoman Bush released a statement celebrating the St. Louis City’s Board of Aldermen’s unanimous passage of a resolution calling on President Biden to work toward a ceasefire in Gaza.

  • This February 2024, Congresswoman Bush, alongside Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), sent a letter to President Biden urging the President to decisively oppose any invasion by Israeli forces or further bombardment in Rafah, and to facilitate an immediate, lasting ceasefire to save lives.