[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2912-S2913]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 Russia

  Mr. President, I rise today to address the continuously abusive 
nature of the Russian Government in impeding on the human rights of its 
people and the people across the globe. From interference in democratic 
processes around the globe to its malign influence in Syria, to its 
continued aggression against Ukraine, Mr. Putin's regime must be held 
accountable for its crimes.
  As we all know, Vladimir Putin has been openly and willfully 
attacking democratic institutions and processes to corrode good 
governance and our values. His tools are drawn from a Soviet-era 
playbook but are constantly being updated with improvements. He is a 
pusher--constantly pushing the limits of acceptable international 
behavior and then going over the line. We cannot overlook the 
phenomenon that is unfolding across the European continent, the wider 
region, and now, yes, here in our Western Hemisphere.
  Just a few weeks ago, Special Counsel Robert Mueller released to the 
public a redacted version of his report on Russia's interference in our 
2016 Presidential election, revealing another one of Mr. Putin's plots 
to interfere with and tarnish the democratic process of a strong 
nation. Special Counsel Mueller described the Russian effort as taking 
place in a ``sweeping and systematic fashion,'' a premeditated attack 
by the Kremlin.
  Russia's aggression on the international stage continues to grow and 
is deserving of global condemnation. The United States is just one of 
many nations targeted by the Putin regime whose democracy was and is 
systemically targeted and attacked.
  It certainly was not the first nation to be targeted. Reflect back to 
its illegal invasion of Ukraine and subsequent annexation of Crimea. 
Look at Russia's role in the ongoing hostilities in Eastern Europe. 
Consider Mr. Putin's role in Syria's civil war and support for dictator 
Bashar al-Assad. He murdered hundreds of thousands of citizens and 
assisted in the collapse the country's infrastructure. Russia has shown 
us time and again its disdain for international laws and norms under 
Mr. Putin's leadership.
  After the trifecta of Russian interference in Ukraine, Syria, and our 
democratic Presidential election here, I partnered with nine bipartisan 
colleagues within the first week of the 115th Congress in January of 
2017 to introduce the Countering Russian Hostilities Act. It is 
comprehensive sanctions legislation on Russia in response to its cyber 
intrusion, aggression, and destabilizing activities in the United 
States, Ukraine, Syria, and worldwide.
  Over time, we learned that Mr. Putin's increasing aggressive behavior 
abroad is directly related to his need to maintain power at home.
  In January of 2018, I released a Foreign Relations Committee 
Democratic member report that documented Mr. Putin's pattern of 
asymmetric warfare against democratic institutions, universal values, 
and the rule of law in Russia and across Europe over the last 20 years. 
The report details the tools the Russian Government has repeatedly 
deployed and perfected, as well as its techniques to attack democracies 
both internally and abroad.
  Among many other takeaways, we learned that Mr. Putin will continue 
to simultaneously step up his attacks on democracies around the world 
while also acting to maintain power in Russia.
  We have also learned that it is ultimately the Russian people who 
bear the brunt of Mr. Putin's international decisions. We have an 
obligation to support human rights around the globe, both as 
individuals and as a nation. Part of that obligation is ensuring that 
violators of international human rights are held accountable for their 
actions and are not given the resources they need to continue their 
nefarious actions.
  In an effort to address these obligations, I was fortunate to work 
closely with the late Senator from Arizona, John McCain, on the Sergei 
Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012. As you may know, 
Sergei Magnitsky was a Moscow-based lawyer who bravely uncovered deep-
rooted, high-level corruption in Russia over a decade ago. Like any 
good lawyer, he reported his discoveries to the authorities. For doing 
his job, he was arrested, jailed, tortured, and killed in prison. When 
I learned about Sergei's life and work and the complete violation of 
basic human rights and rampant impunity that met the perpetrators of 
these crimes, I was shocked.

[[Page S2913]]

  Originally, the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act 
provides that anyone involved in Sergei's imprisonment, torture, or 
death who has not been brought to justice in Russia would be denied 
access to our financial system or the ability to travel to our country. 
The bill also targets those who have abused their power in the country 
to violate the human rights of anyone in Russia who disagrees with Mr. 
Putin's corrupt regime.
  Senator McCain and I wanted to send a signal to Mr. Putin and his 
coconspirators that there will be consequences for their actions and 
their inactions. The Sergei Magnitsky Act was, is, and will continue to 
be an effective tool at doing just that.
  Senator McCain and I agreed that the United States must lead the 
world by using the power of our financial and legal institutions to 
hold human rights abusers and corrupt individuals across the globe 
accountable for their crimes. That is why we continued to work together 
to author the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which 
was signed into law in 2016. Senator McCain and I shared the critically 
important belief that the value of American leadership in enforcing 
human rights worldwide transcends party lines.
  I might point out that following the U.S. example, other countries 
have enacted similar laws to make sure we have a blanket protection 
against those who commit these human rights violations.
  In the past year, Global Magnitsky designations have targeted 
individuals around the world responsible for acts of genocide, 
violence, and significant corruption. My colleagues and I have called 
for numerous sanctions under this act, and I am pleased that the 
administration has acted, particularly issuing Executive order 13818, 
which expanded Global Magnitsky authorities. Freezing the financial 
assets of perpetrators and denying them visas to the United States 
sends a clear message: We will not stand by while individuals are 
stripped of their freedoms and their rights.
  Unfortunately, while the Global Magnitsky legislation has proved 
hugely successful, we continue to witness human rights violations 
around the world and, more specifically, at the hands of Mr. Putin.
  In recent reports, human rights groups have noted that the number of 
political prisoners in Russia has risen at a rapid rate over the past 
few years. Many of these groups are calling on the United States to 
impose sanctions on more Russian officials to hold them accountable for 
the inhumane treatment of over 250 reported political prisoners. 
Unfortunately, this issue of Russian political prisoners has not been 
the forefront of the U.S.-Russia discussions. That needs to change.
  President Trump continues to treat Mr. Putin with the utmost respect, 
despite the Russian President's holding almost 300 individuals hostage 
as political prisoners in Russia.
  Most recently, the President has scheduled another formal meeting 
with Mr. Putin next month during the annual G20 Summit. Of course, 
Secretary Pompeo just met with Mr. Putin on Tuesday. Human rights must 
be on the agenda for such talks.
  In 2016, a Russian human rights activist and a person who has 
dissented from Mr. Putin, Vladimir Kara-Murza, testified before the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressing how the United States 
could help Russian defenders.
  He stated:

       Our friends in the West often ask how they can be helpful 
     to the cause of human rights and democracy in Russia and the 
     answer to this is very simple. Please stay true to your 
     values. We are not asking for your support. It is our task to 
     fight for democracy and rule of law in our country. The only 
     thing we ask from Western leaders is that they stop 
     supporting Mr. Putin by treating him as a respectable and 
     worthy partner and by allowing Mr. Putin's cronies to use 
     Western countries as havens for their looted wealth.

  That is exactly what the Magnitsky Act is all about--to deny that 
legitimacy.
  I ask that we take these words to heart. The threat that Russia poses 
to our global community has never been more evident. But we must 
remember the distinction between Mr. Putin's regime and the Russian 
people. The Russian people are good, freedom-seeking people who want 
economic security and stability for their families just as we do in the 
United States. This is an important distinction for us to keep in our 
minds and our hearts as we continue to pursue effective tools to 
counter Mr. Putin's threats to the international order and the values 
we hold so dear.
  So as we work to shape U.S. policy and diplomatic strategies toward 
Russia, I urge my colleagues to keep in mind the aspirations of the 
Russian human rights defenders who risk their lives in order to 
advocate for a Russia free of authoritarian and abusive leaders.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Braun). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.