[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 178 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6323-S6325]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 Russia

  Mr. President, I want to move to another urgent issue, and this arose 
again just the other night. This is a matter of significant foreign 
policy that I

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know Members on both sides are concerned about: President Trump's 
continued affinity for Vladimir Putin, most recently evidenced by his 
silence regarding the recent poisoning of Russian opposition leader 
Alexei Navalny, who gave an interview on CBS's ``60 Minutes'' that 
aired just 2 nights ago, October 18, this past Sunday. Navalny was 
poisoned and nearly killed by a highly lethal chemical weapon nerve 
agent, Novichok, in August of this year and is currently recovering in 
Berlin under close security protection.
  In the interview on ``60 Minutes,'' Navalny directly alleged that 
Vladimir Putin was behind the poisoning. I am quoting him now. When 
asked a question, ``Do you think Vladimir Putin was responsible?'' 
Navalny said, ``I don't think. I am sure he is responsible.''
  While German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Macron 
have called for answers from Putin and led the European Union in 
imposing sanctions on Russian officials over the use of chemical 
weapons in violation of international law, President Trump's silence 
is, to use an old expression, deafening.
  In a ``60 Minutes'' interview, Mr. Navalny goes on to describe that 
nerve agent, Novichok, is impossible to acquire. Only someone in 
Putin's position would be able to deploy it. As the world knows, Mr. 
Putin is not afraid to go after opponents, like Navalny, who continue 
to reveal the corruption and authoritarianism of his regime.
  Despite the growing consensus that Putin himself may have directed 
the attack, our President has refused to even query--even ask 
questions--whether there is malicious intent involved. Vladimir Putin, 
as we know, is a proven enemy of democracy and will go to any lengths 
to undermine democracy activists in his own country and other 
countries.
  When a President of the United States speaks out, the world listens. 
In this case--this case of attempted murder--the silence of President 
Trump is insulting to our values as Americans. He is signaling to 
autocratic leaders all over the world that it is OK to take direct 
action against their opposition through violence and intimidation. He 
is signaling to the world that the United States is not committed--not 
committed--to protecting and promoting democracy.
  President Trump's silence on Alexei Navalny's poisoning is not the 
only instance of absolute deference to Vladimir Putin. Throughout his 
Presidency, President Trump has continuously made decisions that 
benefit Putin's agenda. In so doing, President Trump also acts to 
undermine U.S. influence and even to undermine our national security.

  The U.S. Senate, as a part of a coequal branch of government, must 
recognize this threat and act as a body to ensure that our institutions 
at home and our interests abroad are protected. In these last 4 years, 
the Senate has not lived up to this solemn responsibility.
  Here is a list--some may argue a short list--of how the President has 
enabled and empowered Putin and his efforts to undermine our democracy 
and our national security:
  No. 1, vowing to pursue closer ties with Russia in his first foreign 
policy speech as a Presidential candidate at the Center for the 
National Interest in April of 2016, then-Candidate Trump said: ``We 
desire to live peacefully and in friendship with Russia.''
  Openly and repeatedly questioning U.S. intelligence community 
findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 elections.
  Siding with Putin--with Putin--at the 2018 Helsinki summit against 
the U.S. intelligence community findings about the 2016 election 
interference. At that now infamous press conference, President Trump 
said he doesn't ``see any reason why'' Russia would be responsible and 
that ``President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial 
today.'' That is what the President of the United States of America 
said, totally undermining our intelligence community in just a few 
remarks. In my judgment, this was one of the worst moments in the 
history of the U.S. Presidency--a dangerous statement by the President 
that undermined and still undermines our national security.
  Another example is attempting to impeach Special Counsel Mueller's 
investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia and Russian 
interference in the 2016 election. Special Counsel Mueller's report 
documents 10 episodes in which the President interfered with the 
investigation, including when he asked White House Counsel Don McGahn 
to fire Mueller in June of 2016. In my opinion, that is a clear case 
among several of such instances of obstruction of justice.
  Next, deploying Attorney General Bill Barr around the world chasing 
conspiracy theories and investigating President Trump's complaints 
about the origin of the government's investigation into Russia's 
election interference.
  Intimidating Ukraine's President to investigate former Vice President 
Biden and his son and threatening to cut U.S. security assistance to 
Ukraine if they didn't cooperate. As we all know, this originated in a 
White House whistleblower complaint that led to the President's 
impeachment. The President's conduct distracted from actual engagement 
and support to Ukraine as it continues to grapple with Russian 
aggression.
  Next, making continued attacks against and undermining NATO, more 
recently evidenced by his sudden decision to withdraw nearly 10,000 
U.S. troops from Germany.
  Another example is withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria nearly a year 
ago, clearing the way for Russia--Russia--to become the sole power 
broker in Syria through enhanced cooperation with Turkey, as evidenced 
by Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system. The 
Associated Press reports of Russia deploying troops to Syria the same 
week that the United States withdrew indicates the benefit to Russia.
  Next, failing to act on intelligence that the Russian Government 
offered to pay Taliban and Haqqani Network militants to target American 
troops in Afghanistan, as reported by the New York Times in June of 
this year. In fact, President Trump suggested this intelligence was ``a 
hoax'' in a July 1 tweet. It was not a hoax. We know it happened.
  Withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty, which gives us critical 
access to and intelligence into Russian military activities.
  As I noted earlier, continuing to be silent--totally silent--about 
the recent poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny. 
Navalny has openly stated that Putin is behind the attack, as I 
mentioned, and President Trump stands apart--far apart--from Western 
leaders in his lack of condemnation of the attack.
  Next, refusing to approve a clean 5-year extension of the New START 
treaty and thereby clearing a path for Russia to expand its nuclear 
arsenal unchecked.
  Finally and most recently--just this statement alone maybe sums up 
all of it--the President said at a campaign rally on Monday, September 
21:

       I like Putin. He likes me.

  This list should concern every Member of the Senate. I know it 
concerns a lot of the Members here, but we have to do more.
  President Trump has never said a critical word about Vladimir Putin. 
Yet President Trump has publicly insulted, denigrated, and smeared the 
U.S. intelligence community, Members of Congress, and even veterans. 
His tweets disparaging Americans count in the hundreds--hundreds of 
tweets regarding Americans, but he has never said a word--not a single 
word--critical of Vladimir Putin.
  I will focus on one of the big issues and then conclude. In June of 
this year, the New York Times reported on intelligence that the Russian 
Government offered to pay Taliban and Haqqani Network militants to 
target American troops in Afghanistan. The President's silence and 
refusal to raise this with Putin in his many one-on-one conversations 
with him is alarming, and this failure undermines our national 
security.
  One incident that may have been a bounty attack was an April 2019 
bombing that killed three marines. One of them was a Pennsylvanian. We 
know that as of the most recent numbers, 294 servicemembers from 
Pennsylvania were killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq--the third 
highest toll of any State

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  Any possibility that Russia is playing a hand in killing American and 
Pennsylvania soldiers must be thoroughly investigated. President 
Trump's silence indicates not only that he doesn't care about Russian 
threats to national security, but apparently he doesn't care that 
American lives might be at risk because of Russian aggression. To date, 
the majority in the Senate has not taken appropriate action to hold 
this President accountable for his failure to act or investigate these 
serious allegations.