[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 43 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1078]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                UKRAINE

  Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, for weeks, the United States and the world 
have witnessed the horrors that are unfolding in Ukraine, the result of 
Russia's unprovoked and unjust attacks on a sovereign nation and its 
people. Innocent men, women, and children have lost their lives. Homes 
have been destroyed, neighborhoods and businesses obliterated. Families 
and communities have been torn apart, some never to be reunited again.
  Let's be clear: The blame for this chaos and devastation falls 
directly on the shoulders of one tyrant--one tyrant--Vladimir Putin. 
And no amount of hollow justifications, false equivocations, false flag 
operations, or outright propaganda will change that.
  Putin, you are responsible. Putin, you will not prevail. Justice is 
coming--coming for you and coming for your cronies.
  And as appalling as the stories and videos of Russia's brutality have 
been, we have also seen incredible acts of heroism, kindness, and 
patriotism from Ukrainian leaders, the military, and, well, everyday 
citizens. The people of Ukraine have inspired the entire world with 
their resilience, with their courage, and with their determination to 
live in a free and democratic country.
  This past week, I joined my colleagues in a call with President 
Zelenskyy, and I will say now what we said to him then. We are with 
you. And the people from Nevada, we are with you too.
  From north to south, Nevadans have come together to voice their 
support for the Ukrainian people and their opposition to Russia's 
aggression and brutality. Nevadans agree that we can't sit idly by as 
Putin continues to terrorize--terrorize--the Ukrainian people. The 
horrific images that the world has seen, they require action. They 
require action. We cannot sit idly by and do nothing.
  Here in Congress, we are working to give Ukraine more security 
assistance and to hold Putin accountable by crippling Russia's economy. 
And I call on every Senator in this body to vote yes on the omnibus 
package, which includes nearly $14 billion to aid Ukraine's fight 
against Putin's forces and to support the Ukrainian people. This 
bipartisan legislation builds on the work that Congress and the 
administration have been doing over the past several weeks to confront 
Vladimir Putin head-on.
  I applaud the Biden administration for so forcefully bringing 
together an international coalition of partners, a coalition that 
stands behind Ukraine's cause: the cause for freedom. But we must do 
more. We must do more to support Ukraine, to devastate Russia's 
economy, and to stop Putin's violent attacks.
  President Zelenskyy made it clear in our call just this past weekend 
that Ukraine urgently needs fighter jets to defend itself. Let's heed 
his call and work closely together with our European partners that have 
these jets to provide Ukraine with the aircraft they desperately need 
and to find ways to compensate or backfill our allies' supplies.
  We also must continue to strengthen the security of our NATO allies 
and demonstrate that the transatlantic community remains united. And we 
must do more to bring Putin's war to an end and make Putin himself feel 
the full consequences of his horrible actions. That means hitting 
Russia's economy where they will feel it most: energy.
  Just this week, I cosponsored bipartisan legislation that would end 
all Russian energy imports to the United States. I am glad to see the 
Biden administration responded to this call and that the United States 
is now ending all Russian energy imports, which are funding Putin's 
cruel, cruel, cruel, and unprovoked war. I am heartened to see the 
United Kingdom follow suit, and I call on all of our allies to do the 
same.
  Another area where we can put pressure on Russia is through trade. As 
chair of the Commerce subcommittee that oversees trade policy, I 
strongly support legislation to strip Russia's most favored nation 
status at the World Trade Organization. And I am committed to pursuing 
additional actions that would severely weaken Russia's economy and 
drain Putin's war fund.
  And our efforts are not only about defending Ukraine and stopping 
Russia, though stop them we must. This is about defending democracy and 
the fundamental right of a nation and its people to choose their own 
destiny--the fundamental right of a nation and its people to choose its 
own destiny.
  America must make it clear that we will not stand idly by when an 
autocratic bully decides to invade another nation without provocation 
and without justification. The United States and our allies must leave 
no stone unturned to ensure that Vladimir Putin pays a steep price for 
his aggression against the people of Ukraine.
  We--we--must continue to serve as a shield and a beacon for democracy 
and freedom for those in need. On behalf of the Battle Born State of 
Nevada, I stand with Ukraine and will continue fighting to make sure 
the United States stands proud and strong as a beacon of peace and 
security.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.

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