WASHINGTON – The House Committee on Rules approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to express the sense of Congress that the president should exercise all available authorities to evacuate U.S. citizens and nationals from Yemen as soon as possible.

The proposal will be included in a package of en bloc amendments the House of Representatives will consider this week.

The amendment, which was proposed by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn), would reflect the opinion of the majority of Congress to urge President Obama to take action.

Dingell’s district is home to one of the largest populations of Yemenis and Yemeni-Americans in the United States. Approximately nine percent of the Arab American community in the Detroit and Dearborn area has roots in Yemen.

“Our office has been deluged with calls from Yemeni-Americans, most of them my constituents, who are desperate to escape or have family trapped in Yemen,” said Dingell. “They are looking for a lifeline and they do not know how to get help. They need to know the government is on their side and has not forgotten them. That is why this amendment expressing the sense of Congress is so important.”

Since the closure of the United States Embassy in Yemen in February 2015, over 550 Yemeni-Americans have registered as being unable to leave the country amid a growing civil war.

“My constituents are looking for a safe route to come home,” said Dingell. “We should not advocate for any action that would put American troops or additional personnel in harm’s way. We are simply asking the administration to make every possible effort to safely evacuate U.S. citizens. China, Ethiopia, India and Russia have all taken the necessary steps to evacuate their citizens. If possible, so should the United States.”

Several Arab and Muslim American organizations have sued the federal government for abandoning U.S. citizens in Yemen. 

According to the Assignment of Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities executive order, the State Department and Department of Defense are legally required to plan for the protection and evacuation of U.S. citizens in threatened areas overseas.