[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 15, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1185-S1186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE CONDEMNING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, 
PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, MEMBERS OF THE RUSSIAN SECURITY COUNCIL, THE 
 RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES, AND RUSSIAN MILITARY COMMANDERS FOR COMMITTING 
ATROCITIES, INCLUDING ALLEGED WAR CRIMES, AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE 
                               AND OTHERS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, in a few minutes, we will pass a 
resolution, S. Res. 546, condemning the Russian Federation, condemning 
Vladimir Putin, and expressing the sense of the Senate condemning the 
Russian Federation, Putin, and members of Russian security council, 
Russian Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing 
atrocities, alleged war crimes against the people of Ukraine.
  It has been 19 days--19 long, bloody days since the war erupted on 
the European continent. Today, all of us in this Chamber join together 
as Democrats and Republicans to say that Vladimir Putin cannot escape 
accountability for the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian 
people. The legislation passing today, championed by Senator Graham, 
sends an unmistakable message that the United States stands with 
Ukraine, stands against Putin, and stands with all efforts to hold 
Putin accountable for the atrocities levied upon the Ukrainian people.
  Putin is not winning militarily, so now, this evil man is trying to 
win by massacring civilians, massacring babies, parents, the elderly, 
pregnant women, shooting at hospitals, sending missiles to hospitals, 
apartment buildings, et cetera--just as he did in Syria, just as he did 
in Chechnya--wiping out the civilian population in hopes of winning.
  But in his monomaniacal hubris, Putin has severely underestimated the 
Ukrainian people. Every time an innocent Ukrainian is killed, the 
resolve of the Ukrainian people grows stronger. And we stand with them.
  We have all seen the images, heard the stories, and watched the 
videos of the reality of this awful war. Hundreds--maybe even 
thousands--of civilians have been killed, as I said, from the elderly 
all the way down to babies not even a month old. These atrocities 
deserve to be investigated for war crimes.
  Entire cities with hundreds of thousands of people have been left 
with no water, no power, no connection to the outside world. Unable to 
overtake Ukraine in a quick strike, Russian forces seem to be openly 
targeting sites that have little military significance.
  Today, I am proud to ask unanimous consent and ask all of my 
colleagues to support today's legislation condemning Putin's atrocities 
and supporting efforts to hold him accountable before the eyes of the 
entire world.
  Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to 
the consideration of S. Res 546, submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 546) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate condemning the Russian Federation, President Vladimir 
     Putin, members of the Russian Security Council, the Russian 
     Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing 
     atrocities, including alleged war crimes, against the people 
     of Ukraine and others.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I know of no further debate on the resolution.

[[Page S1186]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there further debate?
  Hearing none, the question is on adoption of the resolution.
  The resolution (S. Res. 546) was agreed to.
  Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the preamble be agreed to, 
and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the 
table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  (The resolution, with its preamble, is printed in today's Record 
under ``Submitted Resolutions.'')
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have several more wrap-ups.
  Would the Senator from Mississippi indulge me?
  Mr. WICKER. Absolutely.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I thank the Senator once again. He is 
always courteous. Even when we disagree, he is very courteous.
  Mr. WICKER. Which is often.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Which--I hasten to add for his sake--is often.

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