[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 128 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 128

 Condemning the Russian Federation's kidnapping of Ukrainian children.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 28, 2023

  Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Graham) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning the Russian Federation's kidnapping of Ukrainian children.

Whereas, on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation invaded the sovereign 
        State of Ukraine in violation of international law;
Whereas Russian troops have since committed horrendous atrocities and human 
        rights violations;
Whereas, as of March 2023, research indicates that agents of the Government of 
        the Russian Federation have kidnapped and removed at least 6,000 
        innocent children from their homes in Ukraine, and have likely kidnapped 
        tens of thousands more Ukrainian children;
Whereas United States officials have indicated that more than 1,800 children 
        were taken from Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine to Russia during 
        July 2022;
Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation continues to provide false 
        information about these children to parents and international 
        nongovernmental organizations and human rights observers, including 
        claiming the children have no parents or family;
Whereas Russian authorities have loosened adoption laws to allow Russian 
        families to more easily take custody of kidnapped Ukrainian children;
Whereas Russian authorities provide additional funds to Russian families housing 
        kidnapped Ukrainian children and force kidnapped Ukrainian children to 
        become Russian citizens;
Whereas this practice is in direct contradiction to any standard of 
        reasonableness and civility;
Whereas this practice is associated with dictators who pose a threat to 
        humanity, world peace, and human rights;
Whereas the International Criminal Court--

    (1) has opened war crimes cases over the abductions and re-education of 
Ukrainian children; and

    (2) has issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin; and

Whereas children worldwide should be protected against all forms of neglect, 
        cruelty, and exploitation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That Congress--
            (1) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the Russian 
        Federation's abduction of innocent children from their families 
        in Ukraine and the relocation of such children to re-education 
        camps, where they are indoctrinated, abused, and exploited;
            (2) rebukes every other nation that provides aid and 
        support to the Russian Federation's kidnapping enterprise;
            (3) condemns forced adoptions of Ukrainian children by 
        Russian citizens contrary to international intercountry 
        adoption norms and the Convention on the Civil Aspects of 
        International Child Abduction, done at The Hague, October 25, 
        1980 (TIAS 11670); and
            (4) implores the Russian Federation to work with 
        international human rights and children welfare organizations 
        to ensure the return of Ukrainian children to their home 
        country at the earliest available opportunity.
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