[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 6, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H4193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             LETTER TO CONGRESS FROM THE DUDYKEVYCH FAMILY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Norman) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to read a letter from the 
Dudykevych family, who are originally from Ukraine and are now living 
in Tega Cay, South Carolina. They still have family who refuse to leave 
their homes and their country which, as we all know by now, is under 
brutal attack by the Russians.
  The father of the Dudykevych family literally built their home with 
his own hands, which is now being destroyed for one reason and one 
reason alone--they desire freedom.
  The heartfelt letter reads like this:
  ``To President Biden and to Members of the 117th Congress of the 
United States of America, we highly appreciate your legislative 
initiatives and clear stance against the cruel and diabolic Russian 
aggression against Ukraine.
  ``Today, I am urgently asking you to actively support immediate 
delivery of Eastern European fighter planes to Ukraine. The brave 
Ukrainian Army and the country's heroic citizens are winning the war on 
the ground.
  ``The problem is that Ukraine's cities are being destroyed and the 
citizens are being murdered from the air. I am requesting your urgent 
help in convincing the White House that immediate delivery of MiG 
planes to Ukraine should be the highest priority in support of a free 
Ukraine.
  ``What we are witnessing is a genocide against the Ukrainian people. 
We have an ability in this country and in the allied bases in Europe to 
stop these murderous attacks from the air. We have a moral obligation 
to do so. Our words are meant to reinforce President Zelenskyy's urgent 
demand for fighter planes.
  ``Ukrainian cities are lying in ruins, and thousands of citizens are 
dead and will keep dying because Ukraine's denial of fighter jets. 
These planes will protect the Ukrainian sky from Russian air raids.
  ``There are MiG-29 warplanes sitting at Allied bases in Europe ready 
for an immediate transfer. Ukrainian pilots are well-trained on these 
warplanes and can use them to stop the murderous attacks from the air 
tonight.
  ``We can no longer sit back and watch schools, hospitals, homes, 
apartment buildings, bomb shelters, everyday people of all ages being 
mass murdered on a daily basis.
  ``The news that a mother in labor and her unborn baby died after a 
maternity ward was bombed in Mariupol broke my heart. It is a tragedy 
that could have been prevented if Ukraine had the planes to defend the 
sky.
  ``I know you deal with many requests, but this is an existential 
need. Ukraine will not survive without your support. Nothing means more 
to me at this moment. The world is in desperate need of American 
leadership. Sincerely, Mila Dudykevych.''
  This letter was emailed to me 12 days ago on Sunday, March 27, at 
2:50 p.m. We all have seen the death and destruction that has occurred 
since this date, all which could have been avoided if this President 
had exercised leadership months ago by allowing for the release of the 
fighter jets, which he failed then and continues to fail now by 
refusing to honor the request of a desperate Ukrainian people whose 
only desire is to live in a free country for which they are willing to 
fight and die.
  President Biden, the Ukrainian people and all the free people around 
the world do not deserve this type of blatant incompetence and willful 
neglect by the leader of the free world. Historians will record this 
truly sad course of events for all the world to see in the coming 
months and years. Mr. President, the words that will be recorded in the 
annals of history will not be kind.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks 
to the Chair.

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