[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 153 (Thursday, September 22, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E970-E971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   ADDITIONAL NAMES FOR CONSIDERATION OF SANCTIONS IN THE CORRUPT ACT

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 22, 2022

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I was pleased to have co-sponsored the 
CORRUPT Act, H.R. 6846 (Corruption, Overthrowing Rule of Law, and 
Ruining Ukraine: Putin's Trifecta Act) in the House and to see its 
passage on the floor this week. This Act requires the President to 
report to Congress, within 30 days of this bill's enactment, a 
determination as to whether specified Russian persons identified in the 
bill meet the criteria to be subject to sanctions under laws that 
authorize sanctions relating to corruption or human rights violations. 
This legislation identifies nearly 200 names for immediate review by 
the Administration and, in my belief, can play a very important role in 
stopping Putin's cronies from operating under the radar and from 
advancing the Kremlin's evil agenda.

[[Page E971]]

  While this bill represents a critically important step forward, there 
are additional Russian entities (and names representing the leadership 
ranks within those entities) that, while not included in this 
legislation, warrant close attention by the Administration as well. I 
believe a particular focus on the Russian financial sector is 
warranted, and that government agencies in the sector play an integral 
role in financing Russia's war in Ukraine.
  One specific government agency worthy of sanctions is the Russian 
DIA, or the Russian Depositary Insurance Agency, which I, along with 
Congressman John Curtis, brought to the Administration's attention 
earlier this year.
  The DIA, established in 2004, is a Russian state-owned corporation, 
controlled by a board dominated by officials from the (now sanctioned) 
Central Bank of Russia. In its official capacity, the DIA operates the 
national deposit insurance system for Russian banks and acts as the 
sole authorized bankruptcy administrator of financial institutions 
deemed insolvent in Russia.
  Hiding behind this innocuous role, however, the DIA leads Kremlin-
directed efforts to nationalize the assets of Russian financial 
institutions, funneling the assets of privately owned businesses to 
now-sanctioned Russian state banks such as Sberbank, VTB and 
Gazprombank. I have been made aware that many of the businesses that 
the DIA targets on behalf of the Central Bank of Russia are owned by 
individuals who have been blacklisted as political targets of the 
Russian state and lack sufficient political protection from these kinds 
of schemes.
  The CEO of the DIA, Andrey Melnikov, was sanctioned by the United 
States in 2017 for his role as Minister of Economic Development of the 
Russian-occupied territory of Crimea, following Russia's invasion of 
Ukraine. Mr. Melnikov was re-sanctioned by the Treasury Department just 
last week, for his role at the DIA, as well. Other members of the DIA's 
legal team (such as Andrey Pavlov) have been sanctioned under the 
Magnitsky Act for their key roles in attacking Russian opposition 
leader Alexei Navalny and his supporters in Russia and abroad, often 
using abusive lawsuits and court proceedings around the world to 
pressure them into abandoning their support for democratic change and 
rule-of-law in Russia.
  By taking actions to target the DIA directly, the U.S. government can 
play a key role in cutting off Russia's long arm of oppression abroad 
and limit Putin's ability to fund his war chest. Sanctioning the DIA 
will not only hamper its ability to expropriate assets from privately 
held Russian financial businesses, but also help defend brave Russian 
dissidents and opponents of Putin abroad from predatory attacks by law 
firms in the employ of the DIA.
  Individuals in leadership positions in the DIA, who I believe that, 
along with Director Melnikov, should be reviewed for the future 
imposition of sanctions include:
  Filatova, Maria Vladislavovna, First Deputy General Director of the 
DIA
  Dolgoleva, Olga Viktorovna, Deputy General Director of the DIA
  Dolenko, Veronika Viktorovna, Acting Financial Director
  Morozov, Oleg Borisovich, Deputy General Director of the DIA
  Popelyukh, Alexander Anatolievich, Deputy General Director of the DIA
  Savchenko, Sergey Mikhaylovich, Deputy General Director of the DIA
  Fedorova, Natalia Vladimirovna, Deputy General Director of the DIA
  I am hopeful that the Senate, in future action on companion 
legislation now pending in the body, can review these names with an eye 
toward adding them to the Senate bill. I also hope the Senate will 
consider adding the DIA itself to the pending legislation. Doing both 
can take direct aim at the ability of the DIA and its leadership to 
advance Putin' schemes, his war in Ukraine and his attacks on all those 
who dare stand up and oppose him.

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