[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 17, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7630-H7635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STRONGLY SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE
Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 726) strongly supporting the right of the
people of Ukraine to freely determine their future, including their
country's relationship with other nations and international
organizations, without interference, intimidation, or coercion by other
countries.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 726
Whereas the United States is strongly committed to the
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of
Ukraine;
Whereas the United States strongly supports the right of
the people of Ukraine to freely determine their future,
including their country's relationship with other nations and
international organizations, without interference,
intimidation, or coercion by other countries;
Whereas the Russian Federation has undertaken a campaign of
political, economic, and military aggression against Ukraine;
Whereas the Russian Federation's forcible occupation and
illegal annexation of Crimea, its continuing support for
separatist and paramilitary forces in eastern Ukraine, and
its invasion of and military operations on Ukrainian
territory represent gross violations of Ukraine's
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and a
violation of international law, including the Russian
Federation's obligations under the United Nations Charter and
its commitments as a participating State of the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe;
Whereas the Government of Ukraine continues to exercise
extraordinary restraint in response to the invasion of its
territory by several thousand military personnel of the
Russian Federation, who are engaged in offensive military
operations in support of separatist forces, the illegal
occupation and annexation of Crimea, and the tens of
thousands of Russian Federation military personnel positioned
offensively on the Ukrainian-Russian border since March 2014;
Whereas the forcible occupation and illegal annexation of
Crimea by the Russian Federation and its continuing support
for separatist and paramilitary forces in eastern Ukraine are
violations of its obligations under the 1994 Budapest
Memorandum on Security Assurances, in which it pledged to
respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing
borders of Ukraine and to refrain from the threat or use of
force against the territorial integrity or political
independence of Ukraine;
Whereas the Russian Federation has provided military
equipment, training, and other assistance to separatist and
paramilitary forces in eastern Ukraine that has resulted in
ongoing conflict that is responsible for over 3,000 deaths,
hundreds of thousands of civilian refugees, and widespread
destruction;
Whereas the Ukrainian military remains at a significant
disadvantage compared to the armed forces of the Russian
Federation in terms of size and technological sophistication;
Whereas the United States strongly supports efforts to
assist Ukraine to defend its territory against military
aggression by the Russian Federation and by separatist and
paramilitary forces;
Whereas Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a civilian airliner,
was destroyed by a Russian-made missile provided to the
separatist forces by the Russian Federation, taking all 298
innocent lives on board;
Whereas the Russian Federation has used and is continuing
to use coercive economic measures, including the manipulation
of energy prices and supplies as well as trade restrictions,
to place political and economic pressure on Ukraine;
Whereas visa, financial, and other sanctions imposed by the
United States, the European Union, and other allies and
partners have placed significant pressure on the Russian
Federation and its leadership but have not been sufficient to
end its political, military, and economic aggression against
Ukraine;
Whereas the President of the United States has authority to
impose stronger sanctions against the Russian Federation and
its leadership;
Whereas an aggressive Russian propaganda effort through the
dissemination of false information is intended to stoke
ethnic divisions and incite violence, thereby posing a direct
threat to the peace and stability of Ukraine;
Whereas on April 3, 2014, the President signed Public Law
113-96 for the purpose of bolstering the resources of the
Broadcasting Board of Governors to counter Russian propaganda
and provide the people of Ukraine and the surrounding regions
with access to credible and uncensored sources of
information;
Whereas the United States remains committed to Ukraine's
democratic development and to the establishment of a
government that includes and respects representatives from
all regions of Ukraine;
Whereas the United States is committed to assisting the
Government of Ukraine ensure that the parliamentary elections
scheduled for October 26, 2014, are free, fair, and held in
all regions of Ukraine in full accordance with international
standards;
Whereas the United States strongly supports the development
of a prosperous market economy in Ukraine;
Whereas the United States strongly supports the
implementation of economic reforms in Ukraine, including in
the fiscal, energy, pension, and banking sectors, among
others;
Whereas the United States supports the development of
Ukraine's trade and economic ties with other countries and
especially the European Union following the signing of an
Association Agreement on June 27, 2014;
Whereas the United States strongly supports energy
diversification initiatives to reduce Russian control of
energy supplies to Ukraine and other European countries,
including the development of domestic sources of energy,
increased efficiency, and substituting energy obtained from
Russia with imports from other countries;
Whereas the terms of the cease-fire announced on September
5, 2014, are being violated by the Russian Federation and the
separatist and paramilitary forces it supports;
Whereas this cease-fire, if its terms are fully met by all
parties, may be a first step toward the reestablishment of
stability that must include the full withdrawal of Russian
[[Page H7631]]
forces from Ukrainian territory, the establishment of
Ukraine's control over all of its international borders, the
disarming of the separatist and paramilitary forces in the
east, an end to Russia's use of its energy exports and trade
barriers to apply economic and political pressure on Ukraine,
and an end to Russian interference in Ukraine's internal
affairs;
Whereas the political, military, and economic aggression
against Ukraine by the Russian Federation underscores the
enduring importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
as the cornerstone of collective Euro-Atlantic defense; and
Whereas the United States reaffirms its obligations under
the North Atlantic Treaty, especially Article 5, which states
that ``an armed attack against one or more'' of the treaty
signatories ``shall be considered an attack against them
all'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) strongly supports the right of the people of Ukraine to
freely determine their future, including their country's
relationship with other nations and international
organizations, without interference, intimidation, or
coercion by other countries;
(2) calls on the President to continue to work with our
allies and partners in Europe and other nations around the
world to reaffirm the sovereignty, independence, and
territorial integrity of Ukraine and to refuse to recognize
the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation;
(3) strongly condemns the continuing political, economic,
and military aggression by the Russian Federation against
Ukraine and the violation of its sovereignty, independence,
and territorial integrity;
(4) states that the military intervention by the Russian
Federation is a breach of its obligations under the United
Nations Charter and its commitments as a participating State
of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe,
and is a violation of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on
Security Assurances, in which it pledged to respect the
independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of
Ukraine and to refrain from the threat of use of force
against the territorial integrity or political independence
of Ukraine; and poses a threat to international peace and
security;
(5) demands that the Russian Federation remove its military
forces and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine,
including equipment provided to the separatist and
paramilitary forces;
(6) demands that the Russian Federation end its political,
military, and economic support of separatist and paramilitary
forces in Ukraine;
(7) demands that the Russian Federation and the separatist
and paramilitary forces it supports end their violations of
the cease-fire announced on September 5, 2014;
(8) calls on the President to cooperate with allies and
partners in Europe and other nations around the world to
impose visa bans, targeted asset freezes, sectoral sanctions,
and other measures on the Russian Federation and its
leadership sufficient to compel it to end its violation of
Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, to remove
its military forces and equipment from Ukrainian territory,
and to end its support of separatist and paramilitary forces;
(9) calls on the President to provide the Government of
Ukraine with defense articles, services, and training
required to effectively defend its territory and sovereignty;
(10) calls on the President to ensure the delivery of
urgently needed assistance to Ukraine and to ensure that all
future assistance will be rapidly delivered;
(11) calls on the President to provide the Government of
Ukraine with appropriate intelligence and other relevant
information to assist the Government of Ukraine to defend its
territory and sovereignty;
(12) calls on the President to work with the Government of
Ukraine, our allies and other nations, and international
organizations to ensure that the multinational team
investigating the destruction of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
is able to conduct an unrestricted investigation, guarantee
the repatriation of remains and personal effects from the
crash site, report its findings free of outside political
influence or intimidation and to ensure that those directly
and indirectly responsible for this tragedy are brought to
justice;
(13) calls on our European allies, and other countries and
international organizations, to join the United States in
providing assistance to the Government of Ukraine to ensure
that the parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26,
2014, are free, fair, and held in all regions of Ukraine in
full accordance with international standards;
(14) calls on the President to expand United States
international broadcasting efforts to Russian-speaking
audiences in Ukraine and both inside and outside of Russia
and include a broad spectrum of communications mediums to
provide high-quality programming content, independent
journalism, and credible information to counter Russia's
propaganda;
(15) calls on Ukraine and other countries to support energy
diversification initiatives to reduce the ability of the
Russian Federation to use its energy exports as a means of
applying political or economic pressure, including by
promoting increased natural gas exports from the United
States and other countries;
(16) strongly supports the efforts by President Poroshenko
and the people of Ukraine to establish a lasting peace in
Ukraine that includes the full withdrawal of Russian forces
from Ukraine's territory, the establishment of Ukraine's
control over all of its international borders, the disarming
of the separatist and paramilitary forces in the east,
policies to reduce Russia's ability to use energy exports and
trade barriers as weapons to apply economic and political
pressure on Ukraine, and an end to Russia's interference in
Ukraine's internal affairs; and
(17) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to its
obligations under the North Atlantic Treaty, especially
Article 5, and calls on all Alliance member states to provide
their full share of the resources needed to ensure their
collective defense.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each
will control 20 minutes.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
September 17, 2014, on page H7631, the following appeared:
Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. ROYCE)
and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. PASCRELL) each will control
20 minutes.
The online version should be corrected to read: Pursuant to the
rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. ROYCE) and the
gentlemanfrom New York (Mr. ENGEL) each will control 20 minutes.
========================= END NOTE =========================
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ROYCE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include any extraneous materials in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, this is a historic moment for Ukraine. It has
withstood invasion by Russian forces, their illegal occupation and
annexation of Crimea, the arming of separatist militias by Moscow, the
cutoff of natural gas and imposition of trade barriers aimed at
undermining Ukraine's economy. They have suffered under a Russian
propaganda offensive designed to sow fear and exploit division, and
they have had many other assaults along the way.
I had an opportunity--myself and Eliot Engel of New York--to travel
to Ukraine, along with Jim Gerlach. We are happy to have Mr. Gerlach
and Marcy Kaptur with us today. They are the authors of this
resolution, a resolution in support of Ukraine. I will lay out what we
saw both in western Ukraine and in the east, because we traveled across
that country.
But before I do that, let me point out that thousands and thousands
of Ukrainians have been killed by the fighting in the east and hundreds
of thousands have been made refugees.
But Ukraine still stands. It stands unbowed, more determined than
ever to secure its independence and its sovereignty and its territorial
integrity. This resolution that the House clearly has before it states
unambiguously our support for Ukraine in its effort.
The United States, our European allies, and many other countries have
made clear that we will not allow Russia to bludgeon--bludgeon--Ukraine
into submission, because that is exactly what they attempted to do. We
have opposed tough sanctions on Russia. We have provided extensive
assistance to help Ukraine through this very difficult time. Its
military needs to be bolstered. And we are supporting the establishment
of a democratic system representing all of the people of Ukraine.
Importantly, yesterday, the Ukrainian Parliament passed a law
granting greater autonomy--including Russian language rights--to those
in the east. A strong democracy respectful of individual rights is the
best counter to Vladimir Putin's very autocratic ways.
Ukraine faces many challenges, including growing economic problems,
the possibility of a gas shortage this winter, and a never-ending
onslaught of propaganda. We will continue to assist Ukraine, but it is
vital that in Ukraine--and we carried this message when we were in
country--they implement the far-reaching economic and structural
reforms necessary to enable that country to grow.
Ending Russia's ability to use its oil and natural gas as a weapon
has got to be a priority. There are many steps that Ukraine itself can
take, beginning with reforming its energy sector to expand its own
production of energy and, of course, to increase efficiency. The United
States and other countries, especially Ukraine's neighbors in Europe,
can help by making alternative supplies available to that country.
You notice that the Polish engineers have reverse-engineered those
pipes so
[[Page H7632]]
that gas can come into Ukraine. Western Ukraine has tremendous
possibilities for oil shale. We met when we were in Azerbaijan with the
government there that is building a pipeline into Central Europe, and
we know that a lot more can be done in order to get gas into Ukraine.
The U.S. can take a major step forward by removing the restrictions
we have imposed on ourselves that severely limit the export of our
abundant supplies. We have got a glut on our market. Frankly, this is a
way to create jobs here, this is a way to help our balance of payments.
Let's sell this to Ukraine because they deeply need it. And, frankly,
the prices in the east are very, very, high and this will give us a new
market.
And the other body could act on legislation this House has passed to
revamp U.S. international broadcasting so there is an effective counter
to Moscow's never-ending propaganda. This is legislation that I and my
colleague Eliot Engel have authored in order to make certain that the
people in Ukraine and, frankly, that Russian-speaking populations
everywhere, can hear the truth about what is happening inside their own
countries, as well as an appeal to political pluralism and tolerance
and all of the values that the international community should share.
In April, Ranking Member Engel and I led a delegation, as I
mentioned, to the Ukraine to see for ourselves the situation on the
ground, including in the east in Dnipropetrovsk, in eastern Ukraine,
which borders the region controlled by the separatists. There and in
Kiev, we had extensive discussions with a range of senior officials,
including Prime Minister Yatsenyuk, about the situation in their
country. We also spoke with leaders of the civil society community:
women's groups, lawyers' groups, Jewish groups, Tatar groups, Russian-
speaking communities. All strongly supported a united Ukraine; all
opposed Russian intervention. All shared with us that at the end of the
day they wanted Ukraine whole, they wanted Russia out.
We met with Mr. Poroshenko prior to his election and assured him of
strong U.S. support. Now the entire Congress will demonstrate that
continuing commitment when the President of Ukraine addresses the joint
session tomorrow. The message will be heard loud and clear, not just in
Ukraine, not just in Kiev, but also in Moscow and around the world,
that the United States stands with the people of Ukraine now and
always.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in strong support of this resolution.
Tomorrow, we will welcome the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko,
to address a joint session of Congress. It is fitting that the leader
of the Ukrainian people will speak in this Chamber where over the
centuries our own democracy has grown and thrived.
Today, we know that freedom and democracy in Ukraine are under
threat. So with this resolution we will send a clear signal to
President Poroshenko and to the people of Ukraine that we stand by
them. America stands with them.
I visited Ukraine a few months ago with my friend, the chairman of
the Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Royce. Everywhere we went we
heard the same thing: the people of Ukraine do not want Russian
interference in their country.
Ukraine is an independent Nation--it is not part of another country--
and the people of Ukraine have a right to make a determination for
themselves as to what their policies would be without intimidation from
Mr. Putin or anybody else.
This hit home, especially for me, when I visited a synagogue in
eastern Ukraine. My four grandparents were born in Ukraine.
{time} 1245
Two older men at this synagogue approached me to talk about the
Russian threat. Over the last century, their eyes have seen the tide of
history roll in and out of Ukraine.
They had fought against Hitler's army, they had lived under the yoke
of Soviet tyranny, they had witnessed democracy spread across Eastern
Europe, and, now, they were looking East at a new threat on the
horizon. ``Don't abandon us,'' one of them said. ``America is very,
very important.''
If anything, that threat has only grown worse in recent months.
Separatist forces, bolstered by President Putin, continue to wreak
havoc across eastern Ukraine. Russian weapons have brought down a plane
full of innocent civilians. Thousands of Russian troops have spilled
over the border, trampling on Ukrainian sovereignty.
Mr. Poroshenko comes to us with his country on the brink. With this
measure, we say to him, ``We support Ukraine. We support the right of
Ukraine to determine its own future.'' We are also saying to our
friends and allies around the world that this Russian aggression must
not stand and that democracies must unite to meet this challenge.
Finally, we are saying to Mr. Putin, ``If you continue to threaten
your neighbors, if you continue to sow unrest, if you continue to defy
the will of the global community, you will isolate your country, and
your actions will have consequences.''
I should also add that I think the credibility of the NATO alliance
is really hanging in the balance. For the past 20 or 25 years, we have
proceeded on the fact that Russia was not a threat and that Russia,
indeed, in many ways, was a partner.
That is no longer, unfortunately, the situation. Russia is an
adversary, and the NATO alliance has to adjust to that. The equation
that NATO has to adjust to has changed because of the actions of Mr.
Putin in Ukraine.
We have to make sure that our NATO allies feel strengthened. We have
to make sure that the countries bordering Russia and the rest of Europe
feel that they are not being intimidated, and countries like Ukraine,
Georgia, and Moldova ought to be free to exert their independent
thinking and what they feel is best for their country and not be
intimidated by Mr. Putin.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Gerlach), cochairman of the House Ukraine Caucus and
the author of the resolution we have before us.
Mr. GERLACH. I thank the chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I give particular thanks to Chairman Royce and Ranking
Member Engel for their great support and cooperation for this
resolution and for Ukrainian people themselves; also, a special thanks
to my colleagues in the House, Congresswoman Kaptur, Congressman Levin,
and Congressman Pascrell, for your terrific support on these important
issues involving our two countries.
This resolution sends an unmistakable message to the Russian
Federation and to the entire world that this House stands united with
the people of Ukraine. During the last 10 months, no other ally has
experienced more internal upheaval or a more imminent threat to its
sovereignty than our friends in Ukraine.
Last November, the people of Ukraine flooded the Maidan in Kiev to
peacefully protest a corrupt and arrogant regime.
For nearly 3 months, Ukrainians risked their lives--and more than 100
civilians died--while ushering in a new era and a new system of
governance, an era in which elected leaders will be accountable and
transparent; honor the fundamental human rights all Ukrainians have,
regardless of their political affiliation; and bolster alliances with
the United States and European Union to foster greater economic
opportunity and prosperity.
The smoldering fires of the Maidan had barely been extinguished,
however, when a new threat emerged on Ukraine's eastern border with
Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally occupied and then
annexed Crimea. He emboldened and equipped separatists who have been
fomenting discord through eastern Ukraine.
Clearly, what Putin has in mind for Ukraine is not a new era of
openness, liberty, and opportunity, but, rather, a return to a bygone
era of political intimidation and coercion, and Putin's gambit to
reassert Russian influence has exacted a lethal toll.
The United States estimates 3,000 Ukrainian civilians have been
killed
[[Page H7633]]
since April as a result of the clashes in eastern Ukraine, but, through
all of these challenges, Ukrainian people have not wavered in their
desire to remain independent and restore stability to their system of
governance and an economy ravaged by the excesses of the previous
regime.
I believe the people of Ukraine deserve our moral and material
support as their country continues to confront challenges from within
its borders and from its belligerent neighbor, and that support must
include defense articles, services and training, and intelligence
information that will allow Ukraine to effectively defend its territory
and maintain its sovereignty.
I truly believe that an independent and democratic Ukraine enhances
the security of the United States and offers greater economic
opportunity for citizens in both countries; therefore, I ask my
colleagues to pass this resolution and reaffirm the United States'
commitment to supporting the right of the people of Ukraine to
independently determine their future free from intimidation and free
from outside influence.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, not too long ago--several years ago--
several of us walked into this very, very historic room. The President
of Ukraine at that time was President Yushchenko. A lot has happened
since that ``Orange Revolution.'' A lot has happened to Ukraine.
We see in Ukraine a democratically elected Mr. Poroshenko, who will
be here tomorrow, walking down the same aisle in a very, very different
political environment.
I rise in support of House Resolution 726, supporting the right of
the people of Ukraine to freely determine their future. That is what
this resolution is all about. We must make clear our position that
Russia's actions over the past year to intimidate and bring violence
and death to the people of Ukraine, as well as the victims of Malaysia
Flight 17--lest we forget--is behavior that is unacceptable to the
entire international community.
Ukraine is a sovereign nation. That either means something or it
doesn't. It has borders. It has a democratically-elected government. It
has the right to govern itself as it sees fit.
Mr. Putin doesn't understand the concept of a sovereign nation. It is
like he is living in a time before Westphalia. When the people of
Ukraine decided they wanted to further integrate with Europe, he sent
an army to invade. That was his answer.
My congressional district in northern New Jersey is home to many
Ukrainian Americans. They are proud American citizens. They are proud
of where they came from. They are proud of the culture and proud of
this culture in this great Nation. They refuse to let Russia bully
their homeland. They know how to assimilate Ukrainian Americans in the
United States. They are proud Americans.
While we have already put tough multilateral sanctions on Russia, we
need to do more. We wish Russia no harm, but we are not going to be
dictated by Mr. Putin's dream whims.
I am pleased that we have a cease-fire that appears to be holding,
but we don't know for how long. Russia needs to immediately withdraw
any military assets it has in Ukraine, and the militias in the east
should be disarmed.
We should provide Ukrainians with defensive arms so that they can
defend their country in sovereignty. This is how you treat an ally, not
with words. I am pleased this resolution calls for the President to do
just this.
We cannot let up on this pressure, Mr. Speaker, on Mr. Putin. After
Ukraine, he has his eyes set on allies in the Baltic States.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Fleischmann). The time of the gentleman
has expired.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 30
seconds.
Mr. PASCRELL. We know Ukraine is not a part of NATO, at least not
yet. Do we have a specific treaty with Ukraine? No, we don't, but they
are our allies. That much means something.
The United States of America stands with the people of Ukraine today,
and we will continue to stand with them in the future. I thank Mr.
Gerlach from Pennsylvania for putting this resolution forward, as well
as Marcy Kaptur from Ohio; Mr. Levin from Michigan; and, of course, Mr.
Engel is always there to do the right thing in international discourse.
I am honored to be here today to present this, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, let me first of all echo what Mr. Pascrell
just said. I want to commend Mr. Gerlach, Ms. Kaptur, and Mr. Levin for
this.
I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), the
coauthor of this legislation.
Mr. LEVIN. I thank the ranking member for yielding and also Mr.
Gerlach. Many of us have enjoyed working with him. We are going to miss
you. We don't do enough work together in this institution.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly--kind of emotionally, in a way--support this
resolution because of what has been going on in Ukraine. This
resolution shows our support for Ukrainian people's right to determine
their own future and to build a country that is free and democratic.
We stand firmly with Ukrainian people and condemn Russia's
aggression. We should always remember that the impetus for Ukraine's
freedom comes from within, from within Ukrainian people. It is their
desire to be free that is the ultimate force behind all international
efforts.
Time and events have shown, time and again, that Ukrainian people are
standing up for their freedom. From the Orange Revolution in 2004 to
the protests in Maidan Square earlier this year, it is clear to the
world that Ukraine is determined to build her own future.
The past year has been very difficult. Ukrainian people have paid a
very high price to govern according to their own wishes. The images and
reports from Ukraine have been hard to accept, and we are deeply
saddened by the lives lost and by the overwhelming uncertainties that
still loom ahead; yet Ukrainian people have spoken through their
actions.
Just yesterday, here at the Capitol, the Congressional Ukrainian
Caucus held a celebration to commemorate the 400th anniversary of its
oldest school, the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
At the event, I was delighted to see the strong support stemming from
the American Ukrainian community. The community's work in my home State
of Michigan and all across this Nation has led to close collaboration
between our two nations and has reaffirmed our common values.
The community's work is especially important now, when others try to
speak for the values and aspirations held true by Ukrainian people.
Tomorrow, we will welcome President Poroshenko to a joint meeting
with Members of the House and Senate. We eagerly look forward to his
remarks.
The passage of this resolution will be emblematic of the support from
the American people, but we should always remember that the impetus for
a free and democratic Ukraine comes from Ukrainian people themselves,
but we can, should, and will help their efforts to continue to build a
free Ukraine.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I now yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur). She and I traveled to Ukraine together many years
ago on my first trip there.
She is also the cochair of the Ukrainian Caucus and has long been an
advocate for a free and independent Ukraine.
Ms. KAPTUR. I would like to thank Ranking Member Engel so very much
for yielding me the time, as well as Chairman Royce for his leadership
and willingness to do all that was necessary to bring this bill to the
floor today and to join Jim Gerlach, Sander Levin, Bill Pascrell, all
very, very valued members of the Ukrainian Caucus.
{time} 1300
We rise as colleagues in support of H. Res. 726 as we continue to
strongly support the right of the people of Ukraine to freely determine
their own futures, their sovereignty, without outside interference and,
God forbid, further bloodshed or loss of life.
The brave people of Ukraine continue to face incredible challenges,
not only an assault on their borders by Russia, but reforming their own
government and their judiciary to develop a rich civil society with the
rule of law.
[[Page H7634]]
The task that lies ahead for Ukraine is daunting but beckons liberty
forward. This is Ukraine's moment in modern history. I expect her to
become one of the greatest nations in Europe.
While the situation remains unstable, there are clear signs of hope,
the ultimate reflection of the intrepid soul of the Ukrainian people
who have endured history's raw edge. Just yesterday, Ukraine's
President, Petro Poroshenko, signed the landmark and long-awaited
European Union Association Agreement, a brave step forward. We recall
it was this desire for a closer association with Europe and the West on
the part of the Ukrainian people that was ultimately responsible for
the start of the crisis which persists today.
As a great nation--the name Ukraine means ``borderland''--Ukraine
should reach west and east and north and south. It is just that vast a
land and its potential unlimited.
But in trying to accomplish that effort with Europe, what began as a
peaceful protest in Kyiv, the capital, ended in bloodshed, first at the
hands of the former corrupt Yanukovych regime, and now at the hands of
Russian agitators under the directives and support of Russia's
President, Vladimir Putin.
Still, we look forward to tomorrow's historic joint meeting of our
Congress here in this House in honor of President Petro Poroshenko's
first official visit to the United States. We must heed President
Poroshenko's words and take into great consideration any request he
makes of us, a vital friend and ally.
We continue to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and her people, and
the passage of this bill, H. Res. 726, on the eve of President
Poroshenko's visit aims to further illustrate the special friendship
and bond our two countries share.
Were it not for Ukrainian Americans in our country and other
Americans who had endured under the Soviet mantle for some generations,
the visit here would not have as deep a meaning. We share Ukraine's
struggle.
Mr. Speaker, I urge this bill's passage. I thank all of those--
Ranking Member Engel; Chairman Royce; my colleague as cochair of the
Ukrainian Caucus, Jim Gerlach; Sander Levin and Bill Pascrell--for
making this moment possible.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Connolly), a very important and valued member of the
Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend Mr. Engel from New
York, and I congratulate the authors of H. Res. 726. They have done a
great job in building bipartisan support for this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. The United States
must stand with the people of Ukraine in the face of Russia's naked
aggression and reverse violations to Ukrainian sovereignty and prevent
further Russian meddling and attacks on what they consider former
Soviet republics.
We must remember that this assault began in Crimea, part of Ukraine.
It was in Crimea that Russian military forces violated, initially,
Ukrainian sovereignty, and it was Russia then that ultimately illegally
arranged for the annexation of this territory, territory of a sovereign
country.
Subsequently, we have witnessed further incursions by the Russian
military into eastern Ukraine. Now Europe is attuned to the threat,
but, Mr. Speaker, I am stuck on Crimea. Ignoring Russian aggression in
Crimea only emboldened Putin to do it again in eastern Ukraine.
I am very pleased that the authors of this resolution adopted the
principles of our bipartisan legislation introduced earlier this year
with Mr. Steve Chabot, and like the Crimea Annexation Non-recognition
Act, which is H. Res. 726, formerly and utterly rejects Russian
sovereignty over Crimea and calls on our allies to do the same. Without
a clear stance on the issue of Crimea, the West ultimately becomes
unwittingly complicit in Putin's further aggression and interference
throughout Ukraine.
What is next? Moldova? Georgia? The Baltic Republic?
Congress must address the Crimea underlying issue if we are going to
have credibility on the whole issue of Putin's aggression in the
region.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the authors of this resolution for doing just
that; and again, I thank Mr. Engel and Mr. Royce for the way they
comport the House Foreign Affairs Committee in true bipartisan fashion.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I have the right to close, so I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I will close and say that this is a very important and timely
resolution.
When Chairman Royce and I visited Ukraine a few months ago, we had
the good fortune to meet with many Ukrainian officials and people
running for President. Mr. Poroshenko, who will address us tomorrow in
joint session, was one of them.
I can tell you that Chairman Royce and I both were very impressed
with Mr. Poroshenko. We really felt that there was great hope for
Ukraine and thought that he was the likely winner. Everything that he
has done, in my opinion, since he has won just reaffirms our initial
feeling about him.
I was very happy that Ukraine signed the European Union Association
Agreement yesterday. It strikes a very good balance but moves Ukraine
closer to the West where the people want it.
I can tell you that when we went to Ukraine and we stood in Maidan
Square where the protests happened, you really felt--it was a palpable
feeling--that you were part of history, people, average Ukrainians,
coming up to us in the street thanking the United States of America for
its strong support of Ukraine and for the independence of Ukraine.
Now, the resolution--and I think it is important to highlight certain
things--says that the United States is strongly committed to the
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and
the United States strongly supports the right of the people of Ukraine
to freely determine their future, including their country's
relationship with other nations, without interference, intimidation, or
coercion by other countries.
It also talks about Crimea, and I think that that should not be
forgotten. Mr. Connolly is quite right. The taking of part of another
country through military force cannot be fathomed and we cannot look
the other way. We need to very strongly condemn it. Crimea is part of
Ukraine, not part of Russia.
So what we have here in this resolution--and I again want to commend
Mr. Gerlach and Ms. Kaptur and Mr. Levin and all the people who put it
together--is a commonsense resolution that says that the United States
stands with the people of Ukraine and stands with the right of the
people of Ukraine to determine its own future.
This is a very important resolution. It is a very timely resolution,
and I would urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to
support it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The Ukrainian people have had a long, turbulent history of struggle.
It is important to remember that when that vote for independence came,
it passed overwhelmingly across Ukraine.
For me, I think the most memorable point of that trip was standing
with Mr. Engel in the synagogue--it was Passover--adjacent to the
largest community center, Jewish community center in all of Europe.
Eliot Engel, whose four grandparents all came from Ukraine, spoke to
the hopes that the American people have for a Ukraine which is a
Ukraine that embraces tolerance, political pluralism, freedom, a
Ukraine in which the persecution of people is a thing of the past but
in which the future lies with the democratic ideals that we share, a
Ukraine independent, a Ukraine free of threat, free of outside
influence.
These are the hopes embodied in this resolution because the Ukrainian
people have withstood these enormous pressures. They have endured this
great suffering. They know there are many challenges still to overcome
before they can rest secure. But the Ukrainians that we spoke with told
us that among the most important things sustaining them throughout this
difficult time is the knowledge that we in the United States stand with
them.
Tomorrow, President Poroshenko will address this joint session of
Congress here; and by granting him, his
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country, this honor and by adopting this resolution today, we will
demonstrate our continuing commitment to Ukraine and to helping its
people achieve the freedom, achieve the security and prosperity that
they so rightfully deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 726.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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