House progressives renewed their calls for a ceasefire amid the ongoing war in Israel, calling on Congress not to advance additional military aid and to instead push for an immediate de-escalation.
Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Cori Bush (D-MO), flanked by their Democratic colleagues and union members outside the Capitol on Thursday, continued their calls for a ceasefire, criticizing their colleagues in Congress and President Joe Biden for pushing for legislation that the two Democrats say is fueling warfare in Israel. Progressive Democrats have repeatedly called for an end to the conflict even as the White House has continued to provide aid, even going so far as to circumvent congressional approval to do so.
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Tlaib criticized Biden for failing to push for a ceasefire, claiming he is “ignoring” demands from Americans who want to see an end to the conflict — specifically citing union workers, a crucial voting bloc for the president.
“President Biden has called himself the most pro-union president in American history. But he is ignoring the voices of working people across the country who are demanding human dignity not only for their own families but for families in Gaza and around the world,” said Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress. “We all deserve to live. We all deserve to thrive, not just survive.”
The Democrats were also joined by Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers, who echoed their calls for a ceasefire. Fain’s comments come as the prominent union president has held off on endorsing Biden for reelection despite the president touting his record for supporting unions throughout his term.
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“At UAW, we take pride in our history of standing up for justice, at home and around the world, around the globe … I want to be clear what we're calling for today: a ceasefire,” Fain said. “We know unions provide a bridge toward fighting all forms of hatred, phobias, racism, sexism, antisemitism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and more. As union members, we know we must fight for all workers and suffering people around the world. We must fight for humanity.”
The renewed calls for a ceasefire come as Congress is poised to adjourn for its holiday recess without passing additional aid to Israel due to disagreements among Republicans and Democrats. It also comes during a growing criticism from some Democrats about the way Israel is carrying out its offensive attacks — with several Democrats publicly criticizing the Biden administration for aiding those efforts by supplying weapons to its military.