[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RETURN TO PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Pfluger) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PFLUGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss, unfortunately, yet 
another crisis. When Russia invaded the Ukraine in 2014, I was actually 
an Active Duty Air Force officer stationed in Europe in NATO. Assigned 
to a NATO unit, I saw this firsthand. This is much different.
  I just returned from Kyiv where we met with many Ukrainian officials, 
including the President, the Foreign Minister, and the Defense 
Minister. While there, we heard a message that was loud and clear. 
Vladimir Putin is acting now because he senses an environment of 
weakness. Weakness from this administration in the approach to energy, 
in their countless failures, including the most tragic of all, the 
Afghanistan evacuation, and then the lack of overall commitment to law 
and order, which can be seen so many places, including our southern 
border.
  All these failures have created this environment of weakness that 
Putin is now acting on. To make matters worse, European countries are 
completely beholden and dependent upon Russia for their energy. Over 40 
percent of the energy flow is coming from Russia.
  Ukrainian officials told me directly that without Nord Stream II, 
Russia would not be acting out today. This was told to a bipartisan 
codel that heard this, both Republicans and Democrats alike.
  Since the President took office, every policy failure he has steered 
our country into has signaled not strength but weakness. The President 
now promises to impose severe sanctions on Russia should they invade 
the Ukraine. This is not the way that deterrence works. Deterrence 
happens every day; it happens in every policy action. It doesn't happen 
after the fact.
  Why would Russia expect the Biden administration to respect the 
borders of the Ukraine when we refuse to secure our own borders here at 
home? President Zelensky said this, ``Border security matters. I will 
defend the Ukrainian borders.'' We need a President who is strong, who 
will not only protect the United States, but also will send a clear 
message to our allies and partners abroad that law and order will 
stand, that sovereign borders will be protected.
  We need an administration that is capable of standing up to our 
adversaries. As I said before in this Chamber, we need a President who 
will choose Midland over Moscow. If President Biden is not going to 
take action, Congress must. I will be working to impose strong 
sanctions on the Nord Stream pipeline.
  Energy security is national security. The Ukrainian people understand 
this, the European continent understands this, and the Russians now 
have a stranglehold on Europe by imposing their will with the Nord 
Stream projects. We need Democrats and Republicans alike. We were 
unified on this codel.
  Mr. Speaker, I am asking my Democrat colleagues to understand the 
severity of this problem. In 2022, we have a sovereign country that 
could be invaded by an aggressor, that aggressor who has been 
emboldened by an environment of weakness. We must stand strong. So many 
people, including myself, have served overseas and have done the hard 
work. It is well past time that we end these crises, that we show 
strength in the face of an aggressor who would impose their will on the 
rest of the world and change world order that that greatest generation 
80 years ago fought for.
  Now is not the time to back down. As Putin goes to China and stands 
side-by-side with Xi Jinping in these Olympic Games and asks for his 
blessing to invade a sovereign country, it is time for all of us to not 
identify by our parties but to identify as Americans, to come together 
and be strong on our actions.


                          Honoring Diana Jones

  Mr. PFLUGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincere 
condolences to a public servant of Cresson, Texas. In August 2020, the 
city of Cresson lost one of its bravest servants, Diana Jones.
  Diana was an EMT, a member of the Cresson Volunteer Fire Department 
for nearly 5 years, and often traveled to California, to the West 
Coast, to offer her skills in firefighting. Tragically, Diana passed 
away during one of these firefights.
  Last month, the Cresson community voted to name the volunteer fire 
department's training center the Diana Jones Memorial Training Center. 
Now all who step foot through that door will feel the sacrifice and the 
leadership that she has done in honoring her memory.
  The Diana Jones Memorial Training Center will forever remind the 
community of the example she set--learning to better one's self to 
serve others. Her legacy is continued through her sons as well as the 
Cresson community. We are proud to honor the life that she dedicated to 
serving her community.

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