[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 56 (Tuesday, March 28, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S1003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 128--CONDEMNING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S KIDNAPPING 
                         OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. Graham) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 128

       Whereas on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation 
     invaded the sovereign State of Ukraine in violation of 
     international law;
       Whereas Russian troops have since committed horrendous 
     atrocities and human rights violations;
       Whereas as of March 2023, research indicates that agents of 
     the Government of the Russian Federation have kidnapped and 
     removed at least 6,000 innocent children from their homes in 
     Ukraine, and have likely kidnapped tens of thousands more 
     Ukrainian children;
       Whereas United States officials have indicated that more 
     than 1,800 children were taken from Russian-controlled areas 
     of Ukraine to Russia during July 2022;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation continues 
     to provide false information about these children to parents 
     and international nongovernmental organizations and human 
     rights observers, including claiming the children have no 
     parents or family;
       Whereas Russian authorities have loosened adoption laws to 
     allow Russian families to more easily take custody of 
     kidnapped Ukrainian children;
       Whereas Russian authorities provide additional funds to 
     Russian families housing kidnapped Ukrainian children and 
     force kidnapped Ukrainian children to become Russian 
     citizens;
       Whereas this practice is in direct contradiction to any 
     standard of reasonableness and civility;
       Whereas this practice is associated with dictators who pose 
     a threat to humanity, world peace, and human rights;
       Whereas the International Criminal Court--
       (1) has opened war crimes cases over the abductions and re-
     education of Ukrainian children; and
       (2) has issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir 
     Putin; and
       Whereas children worldwide should be protected against all 
     forms of neglect, cruelty, and exploitation: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That Congress--
       (1) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the Russian 
     Federation's abduction of innocent children from their 
     families in Ukraine and the relocation of such children to 
     reeducation camps, where they are indoctrinated, abused, and 
     exploited;
       (2) rebukes every other nation that provides aid and 
     support to the Russian Federation's kidnapping enterprise;
       (3) condemns forced adoptions of Ukrainian children by 
     Russian citizens contrary to international intercountry 
     adoption norms and the Convention on the Civil Aspects of 
     International Child Abduction, done at The Hague, October 25, 
     1980 (TIAS 11670); and
       (4) implores the Russian Federation to work with 
     international human rights and children welfare organizations 
     to ensure the return of Ukrainian children to their home 
     country at the earliest available opportunity.

                          ____________________