Moulton, Enes Kanter of the NBA’s Boston Celtics Make Statement on House Vote to Sanction Turkey’s Leaders, Protect America’s Allies
WASHINGTON---Today the House of Representatives passed the Protect Against Conflict by Turkey Act, also known as the PACT Act. The bill targets Turkey’s senior leaders with sanctions, protects our Kurdish allies and directs the White House to show Congress a strategy to protect our allies and interests in Syria.
After voting in favor of the bill, Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA) teamed up with Turkish Human Rights Activist Enes Kanter of the NBA’s Boston Celtics to challenge the Senate and President Trump to pass the bill as well.
Moulton, who voted in favor of the bill, said:
“Congress is standing up to President Erdogan because President Trump won’t do it himself. Over the last month, Trump has shown that he’ll give up America’s interests to serve his self-interest. Congress needed to step in to remind the world that most of us in America believe in keeping our word--that’s a message that our allies need to hear so that they will trust us, and our adversaries need to hear so they will trust our resolve.”
Turkish Human Rights Activist Enes Kanter of the NBA’s Boston Celtics said:
“President Erdogan has repeatedly violated the human rights of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Turkey and around the world. I am glad the House of Representatives is starting to hold him accountable. President Erdogan’s abuses cannot go unchecked, and I am proud to live in a country with leaders who are willing to stand for justice and freedom. The Senate and President must now take a stand, too.”
If passed by the Senate and signed into law, the PACT Act will sanction Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s inner circle and most importantly, cut the flow of American arms to Turkey that could be used to attack America’s Syrian Kurdish allies. The PACT Act would also require the Trump Administration to designate Syrians, including Syrian Kurds, who partnered with the U.S. government as Priority 2 refugees.
Individuals who are given this refugee status are not subject to the Trump Administration’s annual refugee cap.
Finally, the bill would require the Trump Administration to analyze the net worth of President Erdogan and to develop a strategy to prevent the resurgence of ISIS in Syria and Iraq because of Turkey’s aggression and the Administration’s decision to retreat.
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