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Join this campaign for negotiation, not escalation in Ukraine to press for an end to the war in Ukraine. Wars end in diplomatic agreements, so rather than prolonging the deadly fighting to risk nuclear catastrophe, global famine and further environmental degradation, let us call for a diplomatic agreement and ceasefire.

As constituents of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, we are disappointed by her recent vote for an additional $40 billion for the war in Ukraine, thus funneling billions more taxpayer dollars to the Pentagon and war profiteers. While we realize some of the money was earmarked for humanitarian aid, we are still deeply concerned that continued weapons shipments only discourage a negotiated settlement. We deplore this vote mainly for two reasons: It is adding fuel to the fire in Ukraine. It will prolong the war, resulting in more Ukrainian and Russian deaths. It risks escalating and widening the war – up to and including nuclear war. The billions in US taxpayers’ dollars are desperately needed to address vital human needs at home, such as health care, housing, education, and the danger of climate change. In late January of this year, Congresswoman Lee issued a joint press release with Rep. Pramila Jayapal that said “there is no military solution to this crisis.” In March, following the Russian invasion and after voting for billions for Ukraine, Lee and Jayapal issued a joint statement cautioning: “Alongside this resolution, we must reaffirm the urgent need for diplomacy and de-escalation at this dangerous and unpredictable moment” ”support for diplomacy is the most direct means we have of trying to bring peace to Ukraine in light of continued fighting and mounting harm to Ukrainian civilians” “We must …work relentlessly toward de-escalation” Shortly after 9/11, Barbara Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force, a blank check for endless war. At that time she said: “Some of us must say, let's step back for a moment. Let's just pause, just for a minute and think through the implications of our actions today, so that this does not spiral out of control.” But in May 2022, she voted in lockstep with every Democrat in Congress behind President Biden’s war policy without voicing such questions or concerns and without mentioning the need for diplomacy and de-escalation. As co-chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, Rep. Lee has fought for reducing the bloated military budget (calling for reductions of over 30%) and using that money to help meet the needs of poor and working people. But now she appears to be on board with massive and endless funding for the war in Ukraine. At the current rate, US government funds for the Ukraine war are four times the current budget to fight climate change. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, it would cost $20 billion to end homelessness in the United States. The increase in aid to Ukraine provided by Congress is staggering and now approaches Russia's entire military budget. It matches the escalatory rhetoric from the Biden Administration, which now says a US goal is to use the war in Ukraine to weaken Russia. We have supported Rep. Lee in the past in large part because of her opposition to the military-industrial complex and her advocacy for peace. We are deeply concerned about her stance lining up behind the forces of militarism, providing billions more to the war machine and putting us all at risk of a catastrophic war with Russia. We need to stop this war which is accelerating the advent of the 2 existential dangers we are facing. Nuclear War and Climate Change,

RIMPAC dramatically contributes to the destruction of the ecology and aggravation of the climate crisis in the Pacific region. RIMPAC war forces will blow up decommissioned ships with missiles endangering marine mammals such as humpback whales, dolphins and Hawaiian monk seals and polluting the ocean with contaminates from the vessels. Land forces will conduct ground assaults that will tear up beaches where green sea turtles come to breed. We reject the massive expenditure of funds on war-making when humanity is suffering from lack of food, water and other life-sustaining elements. Human security is not based on military war drills, but on care for the planet and its inhabitants. 2022 RIMPAC includes military forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States. 8 of the 26 RIMPAC participating countries are members of the North ATLANTIC Treaty Organization (NATO) -- Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy the United Kingdom and the United States -- while 4 participating countries are Asia-Pacific “partners” of NATO: Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. This means that 45% of RIMPAC participants have NATO ties, demonstrating that NATO is becoming a Pacific military force. The Pacific Peace Network members currently come from countries/islands across the Pacific including Guåhan, Jeju Island, South Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Philippines, Northern Mariana Islands, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, Hawai’i and the United States. Endorsed by: Hawai'i Hawai'i Peace and Justice Veterans For Peace, Chapter 113-Hawai'i Women’s Voices Women Speak Oahu Water Protectors, Hawai'i World Can't Wait Hawai`i Students and Faculty for Justice at the University of Hawai'i) 350 Hawaii Our Revolution Hawaii Hawai’i Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines Malu 'Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action, Big Island, Hawai'i Philippines Asia Europe Peoples Forum Philippine Initiative on Critical and Global Issues Peace Women Partners. Inc. Philippines Philippine Women Network for Peace & Security STOP the War Coalition Philippines United States Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security CODEPINK: Women For Peace Environmentalists Against War Veterans For Peace, Phil Berrigan Memorial Chapter, Baltimore, Maryland Veterans For Peace, San Diego chapter Veterans For Peace, New York City chapter 34 Roots Action Australia Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) Just Peace Queensland Pacific Youngsolwara Pacific Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian Youngsolawara Pacific Our Common Wealth 670 South Korea Inter-Island Solidarity for Peace of the Sea Jeju Committee Gangjeong Peace Network Association of Gangjeong Villagers Against the Jeju Navy Base, Gangjeong International Team People Making Jeju a Demilitarized Peace Island Seongsan Committee against the Jeju 2nd Airport Project Catholic Climate Justice Action Center for Deliberative Democracy and Environment Jeju branch of Service Industry Labor Union St. Francis Peace Center Foundation The Frontiers Columban Justice and Peace Jeju Green Party Gangjeong Catholic Mission Center Canada Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (vowpeace.org) The Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom-Canada (wilpfcanada.ca) International International Peace Bureau World Beyond War Pacific Peace Network No to NATO Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN CANCEL RIMPAC Send your art-graphics, poems, songs about the dangers of RIMPAC to the Virtual Exhibition CANCEL RIMPAC-ONLINE EXHIBIT-OPEN CALL for submissions of visual art, poetry, chant, and musical performance. Email image, video, or text submissions along with your name, age, title, and media to: [email protected] Submission deadline: June 30, 2022 See the beautiful website: https://www.youngsolwarapacific.com/cancel-rimpac-exhibition.html RESOURCES Friday, July 22, 2022, 3PM HST. CANCEL RIMPAC Webinar sponsored by the Pacific Peace Network with speakers from all over the Pacific (Saturday, July 23, 2022 in Asia and the Pacific) Register at: bit.ly/cancelrimpac Video of 35 of 38 RIMPAC ships leaving Pearl Harbor for war practice in Hawaiian waters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp6sWvRcdS4 Sunday, July 24 5pm HST "Not Your Paradise: Gendered Violence and RIMPAC" Register in advance : https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bEb Star Advertiser-OPED- Militarization of fragile Pacific leaves destruction and death by Koohan Paik-Mander https://bit.ly/3PEQLm5 END THE KOREAN WAR AND STOP THE US-CHINA ARMS RACE BY Youkyoung Ko https://bit.ly/3AYyhJ5 WITH RIMPAC, SOUTH KOREA EXPANDS ITS MILITARY FOOTPRINT BY CHOI SUNG-HEE https://bit.ly/3yUBsyO US AND NATO ESCALATE TENSIONS WITH ASIA-PACIFIC WAR GAMES BY ANN WRIGHT https://bit.ly/3PvpzGq THE FEMINIST RESPONSE TO RIMPAC AND THE U.S. WAR AGAINST CHINA BY CHRISTINE AHN https://bit.ly/3PmYbdV Commondreams- Largest Ever US-NATO Naval War Drills in Pacific a Threat to Both Peace and Marine Life. https://bit.ly/3RPfUwu COLLECTIVE POEM ON "A World Without RIMPAC" Thirteen indigenous poets from Oceania - from Hawaiʻi, Aotearoa, and Guahan - Wrote & recorded a poem calling for the Cancellation of RIMPAC and for the restoration of ea: life, breath, and sovereignty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGmMOiLXBoI&t=11s CANCEL RIMPAC statement by Women's Voices, Women Speak: https://bit.ly/3yRKr3R STAR ADVERTISER-RIMPAC, Marcos, and war against China By Seiji Yamada, Richard Rothschiller and Arcelita Imasa June 15, 2022 https://bit.ly/3uZXsXT