[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 786 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 786

  Condemning the chemical weapons attack on Sergei Skripal, a former 
 Russian intelligence officer, and his daughter on March 4, 2018, and 
extending its sympathies to those affected by the attack, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 15, 2018

Mr. Langevin (for himself, Mr. Cole, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. 
Meeks, Mr. Sires, and Mr. Holding) submitted the following resolution; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Condemning the chemical weapons attack on Sergei Skripal, a former 
 Russian intelligence officer, and his daughter on March 4, 2018, and 
extending its sympathies to those affected by the attack, and for other 
                               purposes.

Whereas on March 4, 2018, former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei 
        Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in 
        Salisbury, England, and a responding police officer, Detective Sergeant 
        Nick Bailey, was also hospitalized;
Whereas on March 6, 2018, British counterterrorism police stated that they were 
        investigating the incident and the Government of the United Kingdom 
        stated it would consider strengthening sanctions if the Kremlin was 
        found to have played a role;
Whereas on March 7, 2018, police in the United Kingdom stated that a nerve agent 
        was used to attack the Skripals and that they were treating the case as 
        attempted murder;
Whereas on March 12, 2018, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa 
        May, publicly accused Russia of using a military grade nerve agent and 
        warned of response, including suspension of high-level contacts, asset 
        freezes, responses by the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO), and possible covert action pending an accounting of 
        the attack from the Government of the Russian Federation;
Whereas on March 13, 2018, Russia called the charge ``nonsense'' and rejected 
        the ultimatum to account for the attack, warning of repercussions if 
        Prime Minister May took punitive measures;
Whereas on March 13, 2018, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, 
        spoke with Prime Minister May and stated that ``the United States stands 
        in solidarity with its closest ally and is ready to provide any 
        assistance the United Kingdom requests for its investigation'' and that 
        ``the Government of the Russian Federation must provide unambiguous 
        answers regarding how this chemical weapon, developed in Russia, came to 
        be used in the United Kingdom'';
Whereas on March 14, 2018, Prime Minister May ordered 23 Russian ``undeclared 
        intelligence agents'' expelled from the United Kingdom;
Whereas on March 14, 2018, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki 
        Haley stated before an emergency session of the United Nations Security 
        Council that ``this is a defining moment . . . One member stands accused 
        of using a chemical weapon on the sovereign soil of another. The 
        credibility of this council will not survive if we fail to hold Russia 
        to account'';
Whereas on March 14, 2018, President Trump stated that ``the United States 
        shares the United Kingdom's assessment that Russia is responsible for 
        the reckless nerve agent attack on a British citizen and his daughter'' 
        and that ``this latest action by Russia fits into a pattern of behavior 
        in which Russia disregards the international rules-based order, 
        undermines the sovereignty and security of countries worldwide, and 
        attempts to subvert and discredit Western democratic institutions and 
        processes'';
Whereas the United Kingdom maintains productive bilateral and multilateral ties 
        with the United States, NATO allies, and the European Union;
Whereas the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and Nick Bailey is part of 
        pattern of action through which Russia has shown a disdain for the 
        sovereignty of other nations and the rules-based international order;
Whereas Russia continues to attempt to interfere with and undermine democratic 
        processes and institutions in the United Kingdom, the United States, and 
        their allies around the globe;
Whereas Russia provided no credible explanation for the events on March 4, 2018, 
        and showed contempt for the gravity of the issue;
Whereas Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin said he ``couldn't care 
        less'' if Russia interfered in the affairs of these countries;
Whereas in November 2006, Alexander Litvinenko was also assassinated in London 
        from radioactive poisoning by two agents of the Federal Security Service 
        of the Russian Federation (FSB); and
Whereas Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin stated in 2010 ``Traitors 
        will kick the bucket. Trust me. These people betrayed their friends, 
        their brothers in arms. Whatever they got in exchange for it, those 
        thirty pieces of silver they were given, they will choke on them.'': 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That --
            (1) the House of Representatives condemns the attack on 
        Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intelligence officer, and his 
        daughter Yulia on March 4, 2018, and extends its sympathies to 
        those affected by the attack; and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
                    (A) the United Kingdom remains a vital partner to 
                the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty 
                Organization (NATO);
                    (B) Russian aggression across all domains should 
                not be tolerated or accepted;
                    (C) the United States stands in firm partnership 
                with the United Kingdom in this and many other matters;
                    (D) the United States, its allies, and partners 
                must unite in confronting this threat and in holding 
                Russia to account for its violation of international 
                security and nonproliferation regimes;
                    (E) the United States would support additional 
                measures, including the expulsion of Russian diplomats 
                in response to acts of aggression; and
                    (F) there should be consequences for any who use 
                chemical or biological weapons in violation of 
                international norms and agreements.
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