[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 204 (Thursday, December 3, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H6083-H6084]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS THAT YEVGENIY PRIGOZHIN AND HIS AFFILIATED 
 ENTITIES POSE A THREAT TO INTERESTS AND SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 996) expressing the sense of Congress that the 
activities of Russian national Yevgeniy Prigozhin and his affiliated 
entities pose a threat to the national interests and security of the 
United States and of its allies and partners, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 996

       Whereas Yevgeniy Prigozhin is a Russian national who has 
     maintained close personal ties with President Vladimir Putin 
     since the early 2000s;
       Whereas Yevgeniy Prigozhin is the patron and funder of the 
     Wagner Group, also known as the Private Military Company 
     (PMC) Wagner, a Russian mercenary organization staffed by 
     current and former military and intelligence officers, and 
     the Internet Research Agency (IRA), an organization engaged 
     in online influence operations;
       Whereas the IRA has conducted online information operations 
     against the United States in an attempt to sow division and 
     discord among the American electorate, as well as the 
     electorates of our European allies and partners;
       Whereas entities funded by Yevgeniy Prigozhin have been 
     used by the Government of the Russian Federation to conduct 
     military action, subversive operations, and disinformation 
     campaigns on its behalf while giving it an appearance of 
     plausible deniability;
       Whereas the Wagner Group was involved in the Russian 
     Federation's military invasion and attempted annexation of 
     Ukraine's Crimea region in February and March 2014, and in 
     the subsequent insurgencies in the eastern Ukrainian regions 
     of Donetsk and Luhansk;
       Whereas the Wagner Group has been providing military 
     support to the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria since 2015, 
     fighting alongside its forces and helping it recapture 
     significant parts of the country;
       Whereas, on February 7, 2018, the Wagner Group led an armed 
     assault on United States troops near the city of Deir al-Zour 
     in eastern Syria, prompting a United States counterattack, in 
     what has been described as ``the deadliest U.S.-Russia clash 
     since the Cold War'';
       Whereas the Wagner Group has supported Khalifa Haftar and 
     his``Libyan National Army'' by providing mercenaries, 
     artillery, tanks, drones, and ammunition, with Yevgeniy 
     Prigozhin personally attending a meeting between Haftar and 
     Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow on November 
     7, 2018;
       Whereas a United Nations report made public on May 6, 2020, 
     concluded that the Wagner Group has operated up to 1,200 
     military contractors in Libya, including snipers and 
     specialized military teams, serving as ``an effective force 
     multiplier'' for Haftar's army.
       Whereas mercenaries from the Wagner Group were deployed to 
     Venezuela in January 2019 to provide support for the regime 
     of Nicolas Maduro in the face of popular protests against his 
     dictatorship;
       Whereas Yevgeniy Prigozhin and his affiliated entities have 
     spearheaded operations with the intent to influence political 
     processes in Africa on behalf of the Government of the 
     Russian Federation in several countries, including 
     Madagascar, South Africa, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and the Central 
     African Republic;
       Whereas the Wagner Group has deployed mercenaries to the 
     Central African Republic since 2018 and has provided security 
     detail for Central African Republic President Faustin-
     Archange Touadera, including Russian national Valery 
     Zakharov, a former security official with close ties to the 
     Wagner Group, who serves as the National Security Adviser;
       Whereas, on July 31, 2018, Russian journalists Orkhan 
     Dzhemal, Kirill Radchenko, and Alexander Rastorguyev were 
     murdered in the Central African Republic while working on a 
     documentary about the activities of the Wagner Group in that 
     country;
       Whereas according to an investigation by the London-based 
     Dossier Center, the journalists had been tracked by officers 
     of the Central African Republic gendarmerie who were in close 
     communication with Russian nationals tied to the Wagner 
     Group, including Valery Zakharov and Alexander Sotov;
       Whereas associates of Yevgeniy Prigozhin were reported to 
     discuss plans to set up camps ``for combat prep and training 
     in sabotage'' with the goal of stoking racial violence and 
     carrying out domestic terror attacks in the United States in 
     the run-up to the November 3, 2020, presidential election;
       Whereas associates of Yevgeniy Prigozhin have set up online 
     influence operations based in Ghana and Nigeria to target 
     social media audiences in the United States with the goal of 
     inflaming racial tensions and provoking social unrest in the 
     run-up to the November 3, 2020, presidential election;
       Whereas, on December 20, 2016, the Department of the 
     Treasury designated Yevgeniy Prigozhin under Executive Order 
     13661, ``Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing 
     to the Situation in Ukraine'', for having ``materially 
     assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or 
     technological support for, or goods or services in support 
     of, senior officials of the Russian Federation'';
       Whereas, on June 20, 2017, the Department of the Treasury 
     designated the Wagner Group under Executive Order 13660, 
     ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the 
     Situation in Ukraine'', for being ``responsible for or 
     complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, 
     actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, 
     stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of 
     Ukraine'';
       Whereas, on March 15, 2018, the Department of the Treasury 
     designated Yevgeniy Prigozhin, his affiliated entities, 
     including the Internet Research Agency, and his subordinates 
     under Executive Order 13694, ``Blocking the Property of 
     Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-
     Enabled Activities,'' for being ``involved in interfering 
     with [U.S.] election processes or institutions'';
       Whereas on July 15, 2020, under Executive Orders 13848, 
     13694 (as amended), and 13661, the Department of the Treasury 
     designated entities located in Sudan, Hong Kong, and Thailand 
     that have enabled Yevgeniy Prigozhin's ability to evade 
     United States sanctions as well as Prigozhin-linked entities 
     that have attempted to suppress and discredit protestors 
     seeking reforms in Sudan;
       Whereas, on September 23, 2020, pursuant to Executive 
     Orders 13848, 13694 (as amended), and 13661, the Department 
     of the Treasury designated a network of entities and 
     individuals working on behalf of Yevgeniy Prigozhin seeking 
     to advance Russia's influence in the Central African 
     Republic;
       Whereas, on October 15, 2020, the European Union sanctioned 
     Yevgeniy Prigozhin for engaging in ``and providing support 
     for Wagner Group's activities in Libya, which threaten the 
     country's peace, stability and security''; and
       Whereas current and former Administration officials have 
     affirmed that the malign activities of Yevgeniy Prigozhin 
     around the world pose a significant threat to United States 
     national security interests: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns any and all attempts by the Government of the 
     Russian Federation and associated actors to influence the 
     domestic politics of other countries and sow division among 
     their peoples, particularly the United States and its allies 
     and partners;

[[Page H6084]]

       (2) condemns the activities of Russian national Yevgeniy 
     Prigozhin and his affiliated entities that pose a threat to 
     the democratic values, democratic institutions, and security 
     of the United States and its allies and partners;
       (3) urges countries and entities engaging with Yevgeniy 
     Prigozhin and his affiliated entities in business or advisory 
     capacities to cease these engagements;
       (4) supports the additional designations made by the 
     Department of the Treasury on September 23, 2020, and by the 
     European Union on October 15, 2020, and calls on the United 
     States Government and the European Union to continue to 
     target the ability of Yevgeniy Prigozhin and his affiliated 
     entities to conduct operations globally and to interfere in 
     the democratic processes of the United States and its allies 
     and partners; and
       (5) calls for close coordination between the United States 
     Government and the governments of United States allies and 
     partners to ensure that sanctions regimes against Yevgeniy 
     Prigozhin and his affiliated entities are enforced and 
     coordinated.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

                              {time}  1615


                             General Leave

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 996.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle 
for joining me to introduce this measure condemning one of the 
principal architects of Russian aggression around the world. Yevgeniy 
Prigozhin is one of Vladimir Putin's key cronies, with a long history 
of working against American interests on behalf of the Russian 
Government. His Internet Research Agency disinformation campaigns have 
worked to sow division and undermine democratic elections right here at 
home and also among our allies.
  Yevgeniy Prigozhin is also the leader of the Wagner Group, a Russian 
mercenary organization, that has spread deadly conflict across the 
globe, engaging in violent and subversive operations in Ukraine, Syria, 
Libya, and sub-Saharan Africa. He has directed human rights violations 
in Syria, undermined U.S. operations in the Middle East, and played a 
key role in invading and destabilizing Ukraine.
  We must hold Prigozhin accountable and take action to stop his 
nefarious activities. This resolution condemns Prigozhin and his 
Kremlin partners, expresses strong support for the U.S. and European 
Union sanctions on him, which were announced this fall, and calls for 
the imposition of additional targeted sanctions.
  As Putin and his henchmen, like Prigozhin, continue their attacks on 
democracies across the world, Congress must send a strong, unified 
message that we will not tolerate their destabilizing actions and that 
we are ready to hold them accountable. Passing this resolution does 
just that.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this measure, urge all my colleagues 
to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, Yevgeniy Prigozhin is one of the most destructive 
operators within Vladimir Putin's corrupt regime. The destabilizing 
activity that he has directed and financed can be felt throughout the 
world.
  Mr. Prigozhin bankrolls the Russian Wagner Group, whose mercenaries 
have fanned the deadly flames of conflicts, propped up dictatorships, 
committed gruesome human rights abuses, all at the Kremlin's direction.
  In Ukraine, the Wagner Group supported Russia's illegal annexation of 
Crimea and the pro-Russian separatists in the country's east. They have 
provided military support to the murderous Bashar al-Assad regime, and 
they even led an assault against U.S. troops in Syria in 2018.
  In Libya, Russia has jeopardized efforts to bring peace to the 
country by supporting Haftar, as well as by sending advanced Russian 
aircraft and thousands of mercenaries from the Wagner Group into the 
country.
  The Wagner Group is also actively meddling in the domestic politics 
of numerous African countries. There, they hope to expand Russian 
influence on the continent while also exploiting Africa's natural 
resources for their own profit.
  The United States is not immune from the threat posed by the Wagner 
Group. Mr. Prigozhin financed the Internet Research Agency, a Russian 
troll farm that has attempted to interfere in the United States 
elections and sow discord among the American people.
  Let me be clear. Mr. Prigozhin is a direct threat to the United 
States. We cannot allow this behavior to go unchecked. The United 
States has responded forcefully, sanctioning him, the Wagner Group, the 
Internet Research Agency, and many more of Mr. Prigozhin's front 
companies and affiliates.
  In October, I was glad to see the EU join the United States in 
sanctioning Mr. Prigozhin as well.
  However, we must keep up the pressure. That is why I support the 
resolution before us today. It condemns Mr. Prigozhin's corrupt 
activity, and it sends a direct message to the Kremlin that the United 
States Congress will continue to hold Mr. Prigozhin accountable for his 
efforts to further the Putin regime's malign agenda. It also exposes 
the truth about the Kremlin's ridiculous claim that Mr. Prigozhin and 
the Wagner Group operate independently.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this resolution's passage, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume 
for the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, Yevgeniy Prigozhin is an enemy of democracy and an 
adversary of the U.S. and our allies.
  From sowing discord and division through disinformation campaigns to 
stoking violent conflicts around the world, Prigozhin is a dangerous 
Putin crony.
  This bipartisan measure condemns Prigozhin's nefarious activities and 
demonstrates Congress' support for continued cooperation between the 
United States and our European allies to hold him and his Kremlin 
partners accountable.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting its 
passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 996, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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