Washington, DC – J Street welcomes the release of two Congressional letters to Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling for urgent action by the administration to save the lives of children in Gaza.
The first letter, drafted by Representatives Debbie Dingell and Kim Schrier and signed by 142 Members of Congress – more than two-thirds of House Democrats – urges the State Department to reinstate humanitarian visas for Gazans. The second, drafted by Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Brittany Pettersen and signed by 103 Members, calls for a surge of humanitarian aid – with a focus on infant formula.
J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami said:
As Jews and as Americans, it is deeply meaningful that a large group of House Democrats – the vast majority with long records of supporting Israel – are standing firmly against President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s enabling of the Netanyahu government’s cruel policies toward civilians in Gaza. Civilians – especially children – should never be forced to pay the price for Hamas’ crimes.
Our Jewish tradition commands us to protect the vulnerable, uphold human dignity, and affirm the sanctity of every human life. The State Department’s suspension of medical visas for Gazan children in urgent need of lifesaving treatment, alongside Israel’s restrictions on desperately needed infant formula, stand in direct violation of those principles.
As the letters led by Representatives Dingell and Schrier and by Representatives Pressley and Pettersen make clear, the United States has the power to save innocent lives by restoring the visa program and ensuring a surge of humanitarian aid. Failure to do so is not an inevitability of war – it is a deliberate policy choice, a profound moral failure by the Trump Administration, and a decision that causes needless death and suffering while further eroding Israel and America’s global standing.
We extend our deepest thanks to Representatives Dingell, Schrier, Pressley, and Pettersen for their work on these letters and their ongoing leadership on this issue.