[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 6, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H1376]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             BORIS NEMTSOV

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, last week sadly marked the third 
anniversary of the murder of the Russian human rights activist Boris 
Nemtsov.
  On February 27, 2015, Boris was assassinated while crossing a bridge 
near the Kremlin in Moscow, shot in the back in the most cowardly 
manner. Boris' murder was no doubt directed by Putin, because Boris had 
actively organized rallies against the regime and even had the courage 
to report in detail on corruption in the Putin regime. His death was a 
great loss for the people of Russia who are fighting for a free and 
Democratic society.
  I was lucky enough to have known Boris and met with him several times 
over the years. I had the great privilege to work with him on getting 
the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act passed into law in 
2012. In fact, I met with Boris right after the House passed that bill.
  That day, Boris told me something that resonated with me, Mr. 
Speaker. He told me that Putin had made stopping the Magnitsky Act his 
utmost priority.
  Though that resonated with me, it did not surprise me, because I was 
born in communist Cuba, and I was forced to flee my homeland with my 
family to get away from the Castro regime. And I know that Castro would 
have had the same reaction as Putin, because thugs fear the people who 
are brave enough to challenge their authoritarian rule.
  That is why Putin feared Magnitsky; that is why Putin feared Boris; 
and that is why Putin fears my friend and close friend of Boris' 
Vladimir Kara-Murza, who the Putin regime has tried to kill on two 
occasions, both by poisoning.
  Vladimir has bravely picked up the mantle from Boris, and he carries 
out his mission of speaking the truth about the Putin regime and 
calling attention to the human rights abuses in Russia. He has carried 
on the legacy and brought Boris' message to the world. And through 
Vladimir's efforts, the legacy has been memorialized right here in 
Washington, D.C.
  Last week, Mr. Speaker, I attended the unveiling of the naming of the 
plaza right in front of the Russian Embassy after Boris. Boris 
personified the fight for human rights in Russia.
  And now, in front of the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., 3 years 
after Boris was murdered, he is now memorialized as a symbol--a symbol 
signifying that one person or one idea can be more powerful and more 
threatening to a corrupt regime than even the biggest army.
  That plaza also serves as a symbol for the future because one day 
Putin will be gone and Boris' dream will become a reality. When that 
day comes, the diplomats who come to the United States, representing a 
free and democratic Russia, will be able to look out the windows of 
their embassy beaming with pride at what Boris' sacrifice helped them 
realize.
  And they will honor Boris' legacy and everyone else who told the 
truth about the regime of Putin and who gave everything for a free and 
democratic Russia, where human rights and the rule of law are 
respected, not feared. I hope that day is soon upon us, Mr. Speaker.

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