[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 27, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4529-H4530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 UKRAINE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM SUPPORT ACT

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 496) to oppose violations of religious freedom in Ukraine by 
Russia and armed groups commanded by Russia, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 496

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Ukraine Religious Freedom 
     Support Act''.

     SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       It is the policy of the United States--
       (1) to never recognize the illegal, attempted annexation of 
     Crimea by the Government of the Russia or the separation 
     through the use of military force or recognition of 
     independence of any portion of Ukrainian territory; and
       (2) to consider any alien who, while serving as an official 
     of the Government of Russia, was responsible for or directly 
     carried out particularly severe violations of religious 
     freedom in the sovereign territory of Ukraine that Russia 
     illegally occupies, controls, or recognizes as independent, 
     including through non-state armed groups and illegal entities 
     it commands or otherwise supports or which act on Russia's 
     behalf, to have committed particularly severe violations of 
     religious freedom for purposes of applying section 
     212(a)(2)(G) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1182(a)(2)(G)) with respect to any such alien.

     SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF RUSSIA AS A COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR 
                   CONCERN FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

       For purposes of making a determination of whether to 
     designate Russia as a country of particular concern for 
     religious freedom under section 402 of the International 
     Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6442), the President 
     shall consider any particularly severe violation of religious 
     freedom in the territory of Ukraine that Russia illegally 
     occupies, controls, or recognizes as independent, including 
     through non-state armed groups and illegal entities it 
     commands or otherwise supports or which act on Russia's 
     behalf, during the period of time that is the basis for the 
     determination and designation, to be a particularly severe 
     violation of religious freedom that the Government of Russia 
     has engaged in or tolerated.

     [SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. 
Wilson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 496, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 496, the Ukraine Religious Freedom 
Support Act, and thank my committee colleague and friend, the gentleman 
from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), for introducing it.
  As we speak here in this Chamber, Russian forces are ravaging 
Ukrainian cities and towns. They are committing unspeakable atrocities 
and war crimes against innocent civilians and continuing to wage an 
unprovoked and unjustified war. The world cannot and will not overlook 
or forget Russia's heinous acts of aggression, nor the war crimes and 
other human rights violations it is committing.
  But, sadly, Russia's human rights violations against Ukrainian 
civilians and on sovereign Ukrainian territory started well before 
February of this year. Ever since Russia illegally attempted to annex 
Crimea and backed the separatists in the Donbas region, Russia and 
Russian-backed forces, as well as the so-called authorities in those 
regions, have demonstrated a complete disregard for human rights, 
including the rights of Ukrainians and others to practice their 
religions freely.
  That is why H.R. 496 is so critically important. We must hold 
accountable those Russians and Russian-backed individuals responsible 
for committing severe violations of religious freedom on Ukrainian 
sovereign territory. Not only must we ensure that it is held 
accountable for the daily human rights violations that characterize its 
illegal war in Ukraine, but also for those committed long before this 
latest invasion.
  Given that the U.S. may take actions, including by withdrawing 
development assistance, against countries who defy religious freedoms 
protected under U.S. Federal law, H.R. 496 directs the President to 
include Russia-controlled areas and groups when determining concern for 
religious freedoms and funding eligibility for Russia.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this important legislation and thank the 
gentleman from South Carolina once again for introducing it. I urge all 
Members to vote in support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                   Committee on the Judiciary,

                                   Washington, DC, April 20, 2022.
     Hon. Gregory Meeks,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Meeks: This letter is to advise you that the 
     Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to 
     review the provisions in H.R. 496, the ``Ukraine Religious 
     Freedom Support Act,'' that fall within our Rule X 
     jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those 
     provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your 
     including them in the bill for consideration on the House 
     floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo 
     action on H.R. 496, with the understanding that we do not 
     thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those 
     provisions or their subject matters.
       In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar 
     legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the 
     right to request an appropriate number of conferees to 
     address any concerns with these or similar provisions that 
     may arise in conference.
       Please place this letter into the Congressional Record 
     during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank 
     you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked 
     regarding this matter and others between our committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                   Jerrold Nadler,
                                                         Chairman.

[[Page H4530]]

     
                                  ____
                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                   Washington, DC, April 21, 2022.
     Hon. Jerrold Nadler,
     Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Nadler: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 
     496, Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act, as amended. I 
     appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this 
     legislation.
       I acknowledge that provisions of the bill fall within the 
     jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary under House 
     Rule X, and that your Committee will forgo action on H.R. 496 
     to expedite floor consideration. I further acknowledge that 
     the inaction of your Committee with respect to the bill does 
     not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the matters 
     contained in the bill that fall within your jurisdiction. I 
     also acknowledge that your Committee will be appropriately 
     consulted and involved as this or similar legislation moves 
     forward, and will support the appointment of Committee on the 
     Judiciary conferees during any House-Senate conference 
     convened on this legislation.
       Lastly, I will ensure that our exchange of letters is 
     included in the Congressional Record during floor 
     consideration of the bill. Thank you again for your 
     cooperation regarding the legislation. I look forward to 
     continuing to work with you as the measure moves through the 
     legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Gregory W. Meeks,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a bill that I am grateful to 
have introduced with the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver), my 
longtime friend and codel colleague, the Ukraine Religious Freedom 
Support Act.
  It is important that we first acknowledge the heinous escalation by 
the war criminal Putin, as he continues to wage a one-sided, full-scale 
war in sovereign, democratic Ukraine. Putin's war in Ukraine and 
illegal occupation of Crimea have dragged on for 8 years. The human 
toll is staggering.
  Prior to the full-scale invasion, fighting in the Russian-occupied 
regions had already claimed over 13,000 Ukrainian lives, including 
thousands of innocent civilians. That is even before the current 
invasion.
  Another casualty of Russian aggression in Ukraine has been the attack 
on religious freedom. Russian occupation authorities in Crimea continue 
to persecute and intimidate the minority Christian, Muslim, and other 
religious groups, like the Jehovah's Witnesses.
  Putin's puppets in Crimea during the duration of their occupation 
subjected them to kidnappings, torture, forced psychiatric 
examinations, and imprisonment. Muslim Crimean Tatars have been 
sentenced to serve lengthy terms in Russian prisons on the entirely 
baseless charge of terrorism.
  Minority religious groups in the area of eastern Ukraine controlled 
by pro-Putin proxies have also been forced to flee in order to escape 
the oppressive conditions. The religious persecution in Ukraine being 
committed at the hands of the Putin authorities is self-destructive and 
must be stopped.
  Throughout American history, the United States has worked tirelessly 
to advance religious freedom and protect religious minorities around 
the globe. The bill follows that strong tradition by accomplishing the 
following:
  One, making clear that it is the policy of the United States to never 
recognize the illegal attempted annexation of Crimea by Russia or the 
separation through the use of military force or recognition of 
independence of any portion of Ukrainian territory;
  Second, it helps ensure that war criminal Putin and his cronies are 
held accountable by considering any official involved in carrying out 
severe violations of human rights in sovereign Ukrainian territory by 
applying the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
  Three, additionally, this legislation requires a determination of 
whether to designate Russia as a country of concern for religious 
freedom.
  We cannot allow these grave violations to continue. It is vital that 
the United States continues to be a leader in advancing international 
religious freedom around the world.
  This bill not only brings international attention to the religious 
persecution being committed in the territory of Ukraine that Putin 
illegally occupies or controls through illegal armed groups it 
commands, but also ensures that war criminal Putin and his thugs are 
held accountable.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is vital that the United States continue its 
tradition of advancing religious freedom and human rights around the 
world.
  This bill brings accountability to the Putin regime for its crimes of 
oppressing religious minorities as it illegally occupies sovereign 
Ukrainian territory.
  Additionally, it is so critical that the United States continue to 
send a clear message that it will never recognize Putin's illegal 
occupation of sovereign Ukrainian territory.
  Mr. Speaker, as ranking member of the Helsinki Commission, I 
especially recognize our dear friend, the late Chairman Alcee Hastings 
for championing this issue and the Helsinki Commission for prioritizing 
human rights and holding war criminal Putin accountable for his 
continued violations of human rights and religious liberty in Ukraine.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
for the purpose of closing.
  I thank my friend and colleague from South Carolina. He is a 
gentleman and a champion of religious freedoms around the world. This 
is an example of what this institution, and we Americans can do 
together when we find common ground and set our minds to it in the face 
of such aggression and risk around the world.
  Putin's flagrant violations of the basic human rights of Ukrainian 
civilians on Ukraine's sovereign territory are disturbing, and they are 
unacceptable. Freedom of religion is a moral imperative that the United 
States must continue to strive to defend as we support the people of 
Ukraine through these incredibly trying and horrific times.
  This is personal to me. My own family fled Russian persecution during 
the pogroms of the late 19th century to come to this extraordinary 
country. Little could they have imagined that I would be standing here 
with you, my friend from South Carolina, talking about religious 
freedoms and doing everything we can as a country to preserve and 
protect those all around the world. That is what it means to be an 
American, not just here, but all around the world.
  We must take action where we can, including by ensuring that the 
President considers all regions where Russian influence is determining 
future development funding for the Nation. I trust my colleagues will 
join me in supporting this terribly important bill to defend these 
freedoms all around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 496, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________