[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 62 (Thursday, April 7, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E369]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





     UKRAINE INVASION WAR CRIMES DETERRENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                                   of

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 6, 2022

  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, as we speak, the battle for liberty and 
democracy rages on in Ukraine. Congress and the Country are in awe of 
the heroism and determination of the Ukrainian people--as they defend 
democracy in their homeland and in the world.
  Tragically, the Russian response to their courage and resilience has 
been nothing short of monstrous. Since Russia's unlawful and unprovoked 
invasion, we have heard deeply disturbing reports out of Ukraine: 
demolishing a maternity hospital; bombing civilians fleeing the 
fighting; and killing innocent children.
  As the State Department concluded on March 23rd, based on the 
information available, these barbaric attacks amount to war crimes.
  Just this week, the world saw shocking and horrifying images of mass 
executions in Bucha--with the bodies of hundreds of slain civilians 
strewn throughout the city. Sadly, as President Zelenskyy reported to 
the United Nations Security Council yesterday, we have reason to 
believe this is happening elsewhere, too.
  Sadly, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the 
massacre the world saw wasn't real--but a performance by actors playing 
dead.
  This reality is sickening and heart-wrenching--and we cannot stay 
silent in the face of these outrageous and unthinkable atrocities.
  Today, the House takes another important step to hold Putin and the 
Russian government accountable for this cruel brutality.
  With the Ukraine War Crimes Act, we will ensure that the United 
States is collecting, analyzing and preserving evidence of Russian war 
crimes: an essential step so that the perpetrators can be prosecuted.
  In doing so, we can help deter future war crimes--making it clear to 
Russian forces that the free world is closely watching.
  This action follows the leadership of President Joe Biden, who has: 
capably orchestrated the West's strong, unified response; and 
demonstrated extraordinary moral clarity, among the first to call these 
heinous attacks what they are: war crimes.
  Let us salute Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks and 
Ranking Member Michael McCaul, for their relentless leadership in 
introducing this strong legislation.
  And I thank them for their commitment to bipartisanship: 
demonstrating our Nation's unity and resolve as we respond to Russia's 
aggression.
  This legislation builds on ongoing, escalating efforts by the 
Congress, the Administration and our Allies to punish Putin for his 
crimes.
  With historic speed and coordination with our allies abroad, America 
has led the world in isolating Russia and devastating its economy.
  We have: cut off Russian banks and decimated its markets; choked off 
its access to technology; cracked down on the oligarchs funding this 
war--and much more.
  The House has passed bold legislation to revoke normal trade 
relations from Russia and ban the import of Russian energy: two major 
steps that will further cripple Putin's war effort and the Russian 
economy.
  At the same time, we have secured $13.6 billion in new humanitarian, 
security and economic assistance for Ukraine--which is already reaching 
people on the ground--as well as bolstered our support for NATO.
  Our actions have left Russia weaker in every way. And now, we are 
taking further action to make sure Russia is held to account for its 
crimes.
  This week, on Monday evening--54 years after the assassination of Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr.--many of us gathered with the King family at 
the MLK Memorial.
  At the foot of this spectacular monument to peace, the King family 
placed a sunflower wreath: a symbol of our unity with the people of 
Ukraine.
  In his book Stride Toward Freedom, Dr. King wrote: ``He who passively 
accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate 
it.''
  The legislation that the House will pass today will make clear that 
we stand firmly against the evil being perpetrated against Ukraine--and 
on the side of democracy, freedom and peace.
  In memory of the victims of these horrific Russian war crimes--and in 
solidarity with those who remain in danger--I urge a strong, bipartisan 
``aye'' vote on this legislation.

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