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

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 956

                   Supporting the people of Ukraine.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 1, 2022

    Mr. Meeks (for himself and Mrs. Spartz) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
                   Supporting the people of Ukraine.

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.
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