Some members of Congress are still looking for ways to kill ongoing negotiations to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran and instead begin dropping bombs.
Not Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.)—he offered an amendment to the defense budget bill stating it could not be construed to authorize force against Iran. It passed.
But many in the House also voted for the bill, which includes an outrageous $96 billion for the Pentagon’s slush fund.
Not Rep. Ellison—he voted against it, arguing the bill “signals to the world the U.S. government is willing to spend billions on outdated and unnecessary weapons systems at the cost of investing in our people.”
Council for a Livable World and the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation is honored to award Rep. Ellison with the Father Robert F. Drinan National Peace and Human Rights Award on June 9th.
A life-long commitment to promoting civil rights has made Keith Ellison a no-nonsense champion of social justice and progressive foreign policy:
- In 2009, Ellison protested the Sudanese government for denying aid to Darfur, resulting in his arrest
- Four years later, he was again arrested on the National Mall for protesting in support of our nation’s undocumented immigrants
- Firmly committed to non-military solutions, Rep. Ellison has sponsored legislation to prioritize U.S. spending on international aid and development, a bold act in a world where the Pentagon’s priorities rule
Clearly, Keith Ellison is unafraid to stand for what he believes. We need more leaders like him in Congress.
