Shaheen Leads Bipartisan Resolution on Deadly Beirut Blast Calling for Accountability from Lebanese Government

(Washington, DC) – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a bipartisan resolution with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) to recognize the anniversary of the explosion at the Port of Beirut and express solidarity with the Lebanese people. The blast killed over 200 people, injured over 7,500 and displaced an estimated 300,000. Shaheen’s resolution expresses solidarity with the people of Lebanon and calls for government accountability to ensure justice for the victims of the blast. It further calls upon the government of Lebanon to address the nation’s systemic corruption and poor governance that contributed to the explosion. 

“Yesterday marked the anniversary of the explosion at the Port of Beirut that killed hundreds and injured thousands of people. One year on, no one has been held accountable and Lebanon is still rebuilding from the tragedy,” said Shaheen. “The people of Lebanon deserve justice and a full investigation into the explosion. I’m leading a resolution to deliver a bipartisan message from the Senate in support of the Lebanese people and to echo their calls for a legitimate, responsive government.” 

You can read the resolution here. 

Following the Beirut blast, Shaheen joined a bipartisan group of Senators who called on the Trump administration to lead an international effort to help the Lebanese people recover in the aftermath of the Beirut blast. In a letter to State Department Secretary Mike Pompeo and Acting USAID Administrator John Barsa, the Senators said long-term financial support should be conditioned on Lebanon’s leaders committing to reforms, called for a transparent and independent investigation into the cause of this explosion and stressed why it is in U.S. strategic interests to not see Lebanon fall further into economic decline. She also worked with a bipartisan group of Senators on a resolution reiterating support for U.S. government efforts to provide emergency humanitarian relief in concert with other international partners to those impacted by the blast.  

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