Washington, DC, April 26th, 2023, the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), a leadership organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, applauds Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Jim Risch (R-ID), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, respectively, for their bipartisan message to the Biden Administration to lead the international community in supporting the timely election of a president committed to serving the people of Lebanon.
On April 25th, 2023, Senators Menendez and Risch sent a letter to President Biden, “urging the US “to work closely with our allies and partners in the region to support a legitimate democratic process and presidential candidates that, unlike previous presidents, will demonstrate the ability to serve and be accountable to the people of Lebanon.”
The Senators also drew particular attention to Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and Hezbollah for delaying the presidential electoral process in Parliament to bolster the prospects of their preferred candidate, at the expense “of candidates with broader support who are more willing to tackle Lebanon’s many challenges.”
“We want to thank Senators Menendez and Risch for their bipartisan and steadfast support of the US-Lebanon relationship,” said ATFL President Ed Gabriel. “We strongly encourage the Biden Administration to heed their recommendation and lean into the presidential electoral process. There is massive confusion in Lebanon on where the US stands today. Now is the time for the US to draw a line, outlining the type of government it can partner with and the characteristics of a government it would find unacceptable.” he added.
