Congressional Record, Volume 151 Issue 152 (Wednesday, November 16, 2005)

[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 152 (Wednesday, November 16, 2005)]
[House]
[Pages H10319-H10321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

AUTHORIZING GOVERNMENT OF UKRAINE TO ESTABLISH MEMORIAL TO HONOR
VICTIMS OF MANMADE FAMINE THAT OCCURRED IN UKRAINE IN 1932-1933

Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 562) to authorize the Government of Ukraine to establish a
memorial on Federal land in the District of Columbia to honor the
victims of the manmade famine that occurred in Ukraine in 1932-1933, as
amended.
The Clerk read as follows:

H.R. 562

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH MEMORIAL.

(a) In General.--The Government of Ukraine is authorized to
establish a memorial on Federal land in the District of
Columbia to honor the victims of the Ukrainian famine-
genocide of 1932-1933.
(b) Compliance With Standards for Commemorative Works.--The
establishment of the memorial shall be in accordance with
chapter 89 of title 40, United States Code (commonly known as
the ``Commemorative Works Act''), except that sections
8902(a)(1),

[[Page H10320]]

8906(b)(1), 8908(b)(2), and 8909(b) shall not apply with
respect to the memorial.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON PAYMENT OF EXPENSES.

The United States Government shall not pay any expense for
the establishment of the memorial or its maintenance.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Gohmert) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert).

General Leave

Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 562 introduced by Congressman Sander Levin
authorizes the Government of Ukraine to establish a memorial on Federal
land in Washington, DC, to honor victims of the 1932-1933 Ukrainian
famine. Known by historians as the Harvest of Sorrow, the Ukrainian
famine of 1932-1933 was the result of a naturally caused low harvest
and harsh Soviet policies, including forced collectivization and grain
seizures in order to neutralize the Ukrainian population.
Over 7 million people died of starvation as Russians stopped
Ukrainians from entering Russia to obtain food. Attempts by the United
States to intercede were stalled by Stalin's regime.
Proponents of H.R. 562 hope that building a memorial in the District
of Columbia will bring awareness to the event and honor its victims.
Finally, no Federal funds will be used for the establishment or
maintenance of the memorial. I urge adoption of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. RAHALL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, we are all too aware of the damage that can
be inflicted during wartime by conventional weapons. However, the
Ukrainian genocide is evidence of the shocking and deadly potential of
an unconventional weapon such as hunger.
In an attempt to permanently cement the Ukrainian people under Soviet
control, the grain supply to Ukraine was purposely manipulated by
Joseph Stalin, beginning in 1932 and leading to widespread hunger and
starvation. While precise figures are difficult to calculate,
historians place the number of dead as a result of this policy between
8 and 10 million men, women and children. In rural Ukraine, it is
thought that one in four people starved to death. These deaths have
rightly been labeled one of the worst genocides in human history.
Yet outside of Ukraine, this horrific chapter in human history is not
well known. Working with the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America,
our colleague and valued Member, Congressman Sandy Levin, from Michigan
hopes to change that beginning with H.R. 562.
This legislation amounts to formal acceptance by the United States
Government of a memorial gift offered to this country by the people of
Ukraine. The memorial is to be located here in our Nation's Capital and
is intended to commemorate for Americans, as well as visitors from
around the world, the incredible sacrifice made by the people of
Ukraine in their long struggle for freedom.
In addition, the memorial gift honors the 1.5 million Americans of
Ukrainian descent who treasure their heritage and cling to the memory
of their ancestors' struggle for freedom, a struggle which was finally
won with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. However, true
independence was achieved more recently in Ukraine as the world watched
in awe as the Orange Revolution swept away a corrupt regime without a
single drop of bloodshed.
Mr. Speaker, Congressman Levin is to be commended for his dedication
and hard work in bringing this measure to the floor today. He has
talked to me numerous times personally about it. I commend him for his
tenacity and dedication. It is not only appropriate that we pass this
legislation to accept this memorial gift; it is an honor.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).
(Mr. LEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LEVIN. I first of all would like to thank the gentleman from
California (Mr. Pombo) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr.
Rahall), the chairman and ranking member of the committee, for their
mutual interest and work on this and also to the chair of the
subcommittee, Chairman Pearce, and also to Ranking Member Christensen.
I also would like to thank cochairs of the Ukrainian American Caucus,
Members Kaptur, Weldon and Bartlett, for their support and also to my
friend and colleague from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) who is a cosponsor and
who is on the committee; and also to thank the leadership for moving
this along.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation, H.R. 562,
to authorize the government of Ukraine to donate a memorial in the
District of Columbia honoring the victims of the manmade famine that
killed millions of Ukrainians in 1932-33. I am proud to have introduced
this legislation that this body is considering it today. This
legislation is important for all of humanity. It is very important to
the 1.5 million Ukrainian-Americans throughout our country, many of
them my constituents. It has special meaning to the people of Ukraine,
as the gentleman from West Virginia has mentioned, who have embarked on
a courageous effort to build a free, democratic, open society, and
indeed to all of us who value freedom.
During the famine genocide of 1932-33, between 7 and 10 million
Ukrainians were deliberately and systematically starved to death.

{time} 1215

The memorial authorized by this bill will not only honor their
memory, but serve as a tangible reminder to all of us that we must work
together to prevent such tragedies in the future.
We are familiar with the terrible suffering caused by famine that is
the result of natural forces. But this famine is all the more tragic
because it resulted from criminal acts and deliberate decisions by
political officials. Yet, it is also one of the least known of human
tragedies.
Despite efforts by the then-Soviet Government at the time and
afterwards to hide the planned and systematic nature of this famine
genocide, it is clear that the Soviet Union used food as a weapon. By
introducing unrealistically high quotas on grain and other agricultural
products which were strictly enforced by Red Army troops, the Soviet
Government deliberately starved 7 to 10 million Ukrainians. The harvest
of 1932 was only 12 percent below 1926 to 1930 averages, but millions
of Ukrainians died a slow agonizing death of hunger.
In his book, ``The Harvest of Sorrow,'' British historian Robert
Conquest provided a vivid picture of the devastating effects of the
famine genocide in Ukraine: ``A quarter of the rural population, men,
women and children, lay dead or dying, the rest in various stages of
debilitation with no strength to bury their families or neighbors.''
Materials now being found in KGB archives have shown the premeditated
political nature of the famine. We in our beloved country must persist
in standing with those living under oppressive and tyrannical regimes
as they struggle for their freedom. Part of the struggle is to remember
the brutal acts of these regimes and their victims.
Preventing the recurrence of crimes against humanity, such as the
Ukrainian famine genocide, begins with remembering the tragedies of the
past. That is why I believe it is so important for there to be this
monument, remembering the millions of innocent victims.
I urge my colleagues to join together in honoring their memories and
ensuring they are never forgotten by supporting this bill.
Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
this legislation to authorize a memorial to the victims of Ukraine
Famine.

[[Page H10321]]

The dreadful famine that engulfed Ukraine, the northern Caucasus, and
the lower Volga River area in 1932-1933 was the result of Joseph
Stalin's policy of forced collectivization.
The heaviest losses occurred in Ukraine, which had been the most
productive agricultural area of the Soviet Union. Stalin was determined
to crush all vestiges of Ukrainian nationalism.
Thus, the famine was accompanied by a devastating purge of the
Ukrainian intelligentsia and the Ukrainian Communist party itself.
The famine broke the peasants' will to resist collectivization and
left Ukraine politically, socially, and psychologically traumatized.
The death toll from the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine has been estimated
between six million and seven million.
This memorial will authorize the Government of Ukraine to build a
memorial on federal land so that no one will forget what the Ukraine
people suffered at the hands of a dictator and the horrible
consequences of forced collectivization.
Again, I urge passage of this legislation.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOHMERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gutknecht). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gohmert) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 562, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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