WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, on Tuesday held a subcommittee hearing on U.S. policy towards Yemen and security issues in the Red Sea with Timothy A. Lenderking, U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen for the Department of State, and Daniel B. Shapiro, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Middle East Bureau.

“For the better part of the last decade, Gulf nations, often assisted by the United States, have been at war in Yemen against Houthi forces that control sizable parts of the country. I have argued that it was a catastrophic mistake for the United States and our Arab partners to be part of this conflict. My belief was that the war would simply strengthen the Houthis and strengthen Iran’s influence in Yemen,” Murphy said. “During the last several months, we have seen tragic evidence of this reality. Armed with sophisticated technology from Iran, and coordinated with the Iranian military, the Houthis have launched a dizzying barrage of attacks – missiles, underwater drones, aerial drones – against ships transiting through the Red Sea.

Murphy, who supports the Biden administration’s efforts to restore maritime security in the Red Sea and prevent future attacks from the Houthis, argued that a congressional authorization is required for any future action: “The Constitution requires Congress to authorize acts of war. Period. Stop. We swore an oath to follow the Constitution. If we believe this is a just military action – and I do – then we should authorize it. But we also need to acknowledge that there is a real risk of escalation in the Red Sea, especially since Iran is unquestionably aiding the actions of the Houthis. Thus, an authorization is important to legalize the existing operations but also to guard against an unauthorized mission creep…[F]or the military campaign against the Houthis to continue, I believe that a tailored, time-bound congressional authorization is not just nice to have – it is required – to both authorize and limit the current military operation. I will be in discussions with my colleagues in the coming days to introduce such an authorization.”

Murphy concluded: “The broader crisis in Yemen, and the lingering war, is not over. It is a crisis that Senator Young and I have been focused on together for years. The war that has ravaged Yemen for nearly a decade, and created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in Yemen, has quieted, but the country is still in dire straits. The United States, through Special Envoy Lenderking, testifying before us today, regional allies, and the UN, have all been working with Yemeni leaders and citizens to find a political solution to permanently end the war and resolve Yemen’s internal conflicts. Peace will only come through political reconciliation. Our air strikes can protect U.S. assets in the region, and in the Red Sea, but they cannot bring peace to Yemen.”

Last month, Murphy pressed the Biden Administration on its strategy in response to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

A full transcript of Murphy’s opening remarks can be found below:

“We are convening the subcommittee today to discuss an incredibly important topic: developments in Yemen and on the Red Sea.

“For the better part of the last decade, Gulf nations, often assisted by the United States, have been at war in Yemen against Houthi forces that control sizable parts of the country. I have argued that it was a catastrophic mistake for the United States and our Arab partners to be part of this conflict. My belief was that the war would simply strengthen the Houthis and strengthen Iran’s influence in Yemen.

“During the last several months, we have seen tragic evidence of this reality. Armed with sophisticated technology from Iran, and coordinated with the Iranian military, the Houthis have launched a dizzying barrage of attacks – missiles, underwater drones, aerial drones – against ships transiting through the Red Sea.

“The Red Sea is one of the most important geostrategic locations in the world. 15% of international maritime commerce passes through its waters, and now 90% of Red Sea traffic has been forced to choose longer and costlier alternatives.

“The cost increases to global shipping of this diversion will be significant. Consumers will bear the brunt of that. But the impact isn’t just economic. Due to the Houthis’ actions in the Red Sea, bulk container ships with food supplies for starving people in Yemen haven’t been able to make their deliveries. In Sudan, where 95% of the population can’t afford more than one meal per day, aid deliveries of food and medicine are crucially delayed and come at significantly higher costs.

“I opposed the U.S. involvement in the Yemen War. I regret that the Houthis are now strong enough to attack our interests in the region. But this is where we are. And now that we are in the crosshairs, we must respond.

“That’s why I have supported the President’s leadership to launch Operation Prosperity Guardian to restore maritime security in the Red Sea. I’ve also supported the President’s decision, together with our partners in the U.K., to target Houthi infrastructure in Yemen to prevent imminent attacks. That kinetic response has been paired with a targeted sanctions strategy to squeeze the Houthis’ ability to finance their operations, and increased interdiction efforts to intercept weapons coming from Iran to the Houthis.

“But, this response has occurred without congressional authorization. And to my knowledge there is no existing law that would permit military action against the Houthis.

“The Constitution requires Congress to authorize acts of war. Period. Stop. We swore an oath to follow the Constitution. If we believe this is a just military action – and I do – then we should authorize it. But we also need to acknowledge that there is a real risk of escalation in the Red Sea, especially since Iran is unquestionably aiding the actions of the Houthis. Thus, an authorization is important to legalize the existing operations but also to guard against an unauthorized mission creep.

“Now, I want the focus of today’s hearing to be on the on-the-ground reality in the Red Sea, the scope of the threat to the United States, and the merits of our existing response plan and the options going forward. I don’t intend for this hearing to turn into a forum on congressional authorization.

“But, for the military campaign against the Houthis to continue, I believe that a tailored, time-bound congressional authorization is not just nice to have – it is required – to both authorize and limit the current military operation. I will be in discussions with my colleagues in the coming days to introduce such an authorization.

“This debate – if we could have it – would, importantly, help us understand both the power and the limits of American military power in and around the Red Sea. The broader crisis in Yemen, and the lingering war, is not over. It is a crisis that Senator Young and I have been focused on together for years. The war that has ravaged Yemen for nearly a decade, and created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in Yemen, has quieted, but the country is still in dire straits.

“The United States, through Special Envoy Lenderking, who will testify before us today, regional allies, and the UN, have all been working with Yemeni leaders and citizens to find a political solution to permanently end the war and resolve Yemen’s internal conflicts. Peace will only come through political reconciliation. Our airstrikes can protect U.S. assets in the region, and in the Red Sea, but they cannot bring peace to Yemen.

“This is an incredibly important hearing today, and I look forward to our discussion with our witnesses to help us chart that path forward.”

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