[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 956 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 956

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         March 2, 2022.
Whereas, on January 21, 1990, more than 300,000 Ukrainians called for unity and 
        independence from the Soviet Union by forming a human chain between the 
        cities of Kyiv and Ivano-Frankivsk;
Whereas, on December 1, 1991, more than 90 percent of Ukrainian citizens voted 
        in a national referendum in support of independence, with majorities in 
        every region;
Whereas, on November 21, 2013, the Euromaidan protests began in favor of signing 
        the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement, resulting in the 
        Revolution of Dignity and the removal of President Viktor Yanukovych by 
        the Verkhovna Rada;
Whereas, in February and March of 2014, the Russian Federation invaded the 
        peninsula of Crimea, illegally annexed the region, held a sham 
        referendum, and claimed the territory to be a part of Russia;
Whereas, beginning in April 2014, the Russian Federation invaded the Donetsk and 
        Luhansk regions of Eastern Ukraine instigating violence, stoking 
        conflict, arming separatists, and spreading disinformation on Ukrainian 
        soil;
Whereas, on July 17, 2014, Russian soldiers or Russian separatist fighters shot 
        down the passenger flight MH17 flying over the Donbas with a Buk 
        surface-to-air missile provided by the Russian Federation, killing all 
        298 innocent passengers on board;
Whereas, since February 2015, Russia has continued to fail to live up to its 
        agreements under the Minsk agreements and the Russian-backed war in the 
        Donbas has claimed approximately 14,000 lives;
Whereas the Russian military conducted a large-scale buildup in and around 
        Ukraine in March and April 2021 under the guise of military exercises, 
        leaving significant military equipment behind;
Whereas the Russian military initiated its most recent much larger military 
        buildup in October 2021 that culminated in approximately 190,000 forces 
        by the time of Russia's renewed full-scale incursion on February 24, 
        2022;
Whereas, on February 21, 2022, the State Duma of Russia passed a bill, approved 
        by President Vladimir Putin, to officially recognize the self-proclaimed 
        Luhansk People's Republic and Donetsk People's Republic as independent;
Whereas, on February 21, 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into the 
        self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic and Donetsk People's Republic 
        after recognizing their independence;
Whereas the decision to recognize the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic 
        and Donetsk People's Republic as independent and order Russian troops 
        into that territory was not only in violation of international law, 
        Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the Minsk 
        agreements, but also tantamount to a declaration of war;
Whereas, on February 24, 2022, Russian forces, enabled by Belarus, launched its 
        unprovoked full-scale renewed invasion of a peaceful, independent 
        country, Ukraine;
Whereas, since 2014, the United States has provided $3,100,000,000 in security 
        assistance to Ukraine, including over $1,000,000,000 over the course of 
        the last year, $200,000,000 of which was approved on December 27, 2021, 
        and $350,000,000 of which was approved on February 26, 2022;
Whereas it is the right of all countries to decide their own future, foreign 
        policy, and security arrangements free from outside interference or 
        coercion;
Whereas the Russian Federation repeatedly lied about their massive buildup of 
        military forces around Ukraine and claimed that reports Russia would 
        invade Ukraine were hysteria;
Whereas, on February 24, 2022, the G7 issued a statement condemning the ``large-
        scale military aggression by the Russian Federation against the 
        territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine'';
Whereas, on February 25, 2022, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization condemned 
        ``in the strongest possible terms Russia's horrifying attack on 
        Ukraine'', called on Russia ``to turn back from the path of violence and 
        aggression'', and reaffirmed an ``iron-clad'' commitment to Article 5;
Whereas the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and 
        Canada joined with the United States, committed to coordinated economic 
        sanctions, including severe restrictions, against Russia's Central Bank 
        and full blocking sanctions against Vladimir Putin;
Whereas United States leadership is integral to nations around the world in 
        condemning and imposing costs on the Russian Federation for its illegal, 
        full-scale, renewed invasion;
Whereas Russian forces have targeted civilians and have committed war crimes and 
        crimes against humanity;
Whereas, in the days since the renewed full-scale invasion began, Russian 
        citizens have taken to the streets in cities and towns across Russia to 
        protest Putin's illegitimate and destructive war waged against a 
        peaceful and sovereign Ukraine; and
Whereas the United States, along with allies in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and 
        others around the world, has been actively responding to Russia's 
        unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine with critical military, 
        humanitarian, and financial support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian 
        people: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) demands an immediate cease-fire and the full withdrawal of 
        Russian forces from Ukrainian territory;
            (2) supports, unequivocally, Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial 
        integrity;
            (3) backs the continued use of sanctions, in coordination with 
        United States allies and partners, to fully isolate the Putin regime 
        economically for its unprovoked aggression against Ukraine;
            (4) urges the United States and its allies and partners to deliver 
        additional and immediate defensive security assistance to help Ukraine 
        address the armored, airborne, and other threats Ukraine is currently 
        facing from Russian forces;
            (5) commits to continuing to support resistance by the Ukrainian 
        people as long as the Russian Federation continues to violate Ukraine's 
        sovereignty and territorial integrity;
            (6) promises to continue to provide significant additional aid and 
        humanitarian relief to Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia's aggression, 
        commends European partners for their efforts to relieve suffering on the 
        ground, and urges the Russian Federation alongside United States allies 
        and partners to guarantee safe passage out of the country;
            (7) reaffirms its strong support for the security of United States 
        allies and ironclad commitment to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO);
            (8) emphasizes that NATO's relationship with Ukraine is a matter 
        only for Ukraine and the 30 NATO allies;
            (9) pledges to support working with Europe and international 
        partners to bolster Europe's energy security and reduce its dependence 
        on Russian energy imports;
            (10) underscores the importance of maintaining United States energy 
        independence for the benefit of the American people and United States 
        allies;
            (11) reiterates that Crimea and the territories illegally controlled 
        by the illegitimate Russian-controlled governments in Donetsk and 
        Luhansk are sovereign Ukrainian territory;
            (12) declares that the war in Ukraine, a democratic country, is the 
        frontline of democracy and freedom versus authoritarianism represented 
        by Putin's Russia;
            (13) supports the right of the Russian people to protest, including 
        the current protests against Putin's unprovoked war against Ukraine, and 
        demands the immediate release of all those who have been unjustly 
        detained in Russia for expressing their desire for peace;
            (14) comprehends that strongmen, dictators, and authoritarians are 
        watching the world's response to Putin's war against Ukraine and 
        learning lessons for their own aggressive actions domestically and 
        abroad, thereby making a strong and united response important to deter 
        the expansion of territory by the use of military force beyond this 
        crisis;
            (15) states unambiguously that it will never recognize or support 
        any illegitimate Russian-controlled leader or government installed 
        through the use of force, and that only the people of Ukraine can choose 
        their leadership through free and fair democratic elections without 
        foreign interference, intervention, or coercion;
            (16) commits to ensuring the illegitimate dictator of Belarus, 
        Alexander Lukashenko, is held accountable for permitting the use of 
        Belarusian territory for, and committing Belarusian forces to, Putin's 
        unprovoked renewed full-scale invasion against Ukraine; and
            (17) stands steadfastly, staunchly, proudly, and fervently behind 
        the Ukrainian people in their fight against the authoritarian Putin 
        regime.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.