WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Friday released the following statement after the U.S. State Department formally notified Congress of the decision to reverse the Houthi Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) designation:

“The Biden administration’s decision to reverse the Houthi FTO designation is another signal of their commitment to end the war in Yemen. The designation did not impact the Houthis in any practical way, but it stopped food and other critical aid from being delivered inside Yemen and would have prevented effective political negotiation. Reversing the designation is an important decision that will save lives and, combined with the appointment of a Special Envoy, offers hope that President Biden is committed to bringing the war to an end,” said Murphy.

Murphy blasted the Trump administration when they designated the Houthis as a FTO and called on the Biden administration to reverse this dangerous policy immediately. On Thursday, Murphy applauded the Biden’s administration’s announcement to end U.S. support for the war in Yemen. Last week, Murphy spoke on the U.S. Senate floor about the importance of the Biden administration’s actions to end the war in Yemen and reset the U.S.-Gulf relationship.

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