[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 71 (Friday, April 29, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E437-E438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ASSET SEIZURE FOR UKRAINE RECONSTRUCTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 27, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6930 the 
Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act, which authorizes the 
President to, subject to certain conditions, seize assets belonging to 
a foreign person whose wealth is derived in part through political 
support for or corruption linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
  In the two years that follow this bill's enactment, the President may 
seize assets if Russia remains engaged in a conflict of territorial 
conquest in Ukraine; the President has imposed sanctions on the owner 
of the assets for reasons related to corruption, human rights 
violations, malign influence, or conflicts in Ukraine; and the assets 
are valued at over $5 million.
  The seized assets may be liquidated, and the resulting funds may only 
be used for specified purposes, including the post-conflict 
reconstruction of Ukraine, humanitarian assistance and refugee support 
for the Ukrainian people, weapons for Ukraine's uniformed military 
forces, and humanitarian and development assistance for the Russian 
people.
  There is no question of whether the Russian Federation, under the 
direction of Vladimir Putin, has been defying the laws of war 
throughout their unprovoked, unjust, and unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
  In the three decades since gaining independence, Ukraine has sought 
closer economic, social, and political ties with the free market and 
democratic nations of the West.

[[Page E438]]

  Since 2013, the Russian Federation has imposed a campaign of 
political, economic, and military aggression in Ukraine.
  Today the world is witnessing a manufactured war, arbitrarily ordered 
by Vladimir Putin.
  President Putin and his associates must be held personally liable for 
the war crimes committed against the people of Ukraine.
  Russia claims it is not attacking civilians, yet thousands of people 
have been killed, mostly from explosive weapons with a wide impact 
area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multi-launch rocket 
systems, and missile and air strikes.
  Families are being separated by war, adults and children are being 
ruthlessly killed, and a rogue Russia is violently crushing political 
speech opposing the war from its own citizens.
  As Russian ground forces advance in Ukraine, Ukrainians are 
sheltering from artillery and cruise missiles in subways and bomb 
shelters.
  The western world must continue to march in unison against this 
senseless Russian invasion of a sovereign nation.
  It is our duty to do all we can to stop these brutal attacks on 
democracy. Squeezing the bank accounts and assets of Russian oligarchs 
will eventually force them to take matter into their own hands and stop 
Putin.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6930 the Asset Seizure for 
Ukraine Reconstruction Act to help put an end to Putin's evil invasion.

                          ____________________