[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S1423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Unanimous Consent Request--S. Res. 103
Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. President, as if in legislative session, I ask
unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S.
Res. 103, which was submitted earlier today; further, that the
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no
intervening action or debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
The Senator from Arizona.
Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. President, 3 years ago, when Russia launched its
invasion of Ukraine, many people, including experts, believed Putin
would crush Ukraine's democracy in days. They were wrong.
About 1 month before the war broke out, I traveled to Ukraine with a
bipartisan coalition of House Representatives to meet with Ukrainian
soldiers. Those soldiers we met there knew they were up against one of
the strongest militaries in the world, but they refused to back down
when it came to fighting for their families, their freedom, and their
future. These soldiers are the reason why--against all odds--Ukraine
still stands strong.
Over 3 years, the scrappy little country of Ukraine has grinded down
the second most powerful military in the world. Ukraine is holding the
line for democracy, and they are doing it with our support. But
Monday's vote at the U.N. undermined that and was a betrayal of
Ukraine, America's allies, democracy, and everything we have stood for
as a country.
Let's be clear on this: This is a war that Russia started. Ukraine
did not ask for it. They did not ask to go to war with a nuclear
superpower, and they did not ask for their cities to be reduced to
rubble. They didn't ask for their children to be displaced and families
to be torn apart. If Ukraine had its way, this war would have ended
years ago.
What happened at the U.N. puts us on the same side as Russia and
North Korea. That is not just embarrassing; it is dangerous. It sent a
message to our allies and every other country that relies on the U.S.
to stand up to bullies and defend freedom that America cannot be relied
on to rightfully call out unprovoked aggression. It told them that they
are on their own; that America's words mean nothing.
If we can't stand up against these criminals, if we can't stand up
against pariah states like Russia, how can we expect the world to take
us seriously as leaders of democracy?
This is why I am introducing this resolution. I urge my colleagues to
correct the mistake we made at the U.N. this week. Stand with our
allies, and condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. America does not
stand with dictators, and we never will, and we shall never.
With that, I ask for consent and vote on my resolution.
Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, was there a unanimous consent request?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. No, there wasn't.
Mr. GALLEGO. I ask unanimous consent--
Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, what was the consent request?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Can the Senator repeat the request, please.
Mr. GALLEGO. I withhold my request.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. President, ``I urge you to beware the temptation of .
. . label[ing] both sides equally at fault--
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Time has expired, Senator.
Mr. SCHIFF. May I have consent to speak for 2 minutes?
Ms. ERNST. I object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? Objection is heard.
Mr. PAUL. Two minutes? If it is going to take longer.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the motion to invoke
cloture--
Mr. PAUL. If we can be done in 2 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Senator Ernst, you objected.
Ms. ERNST. Withdrawn.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Withdrawn.
The Senator from California is recognized for two minutes.
Mr. SCHIFF. I thank my colleagues for their courtesy to speak on this
resolution.
I urge you to beware the temptation of . . . label[ing]
both sides equally at fault, [the temptation] to ignore the
facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil
empire.
My colleagues, these are not my words; they are, of course, the words
of Ronald Reagan almost 42 years ago to the day.
Imagine if he could see his party now turning its back on our ally
and fellow democracy, Ukraine; sponsoring a U.N. resolution that would
whitewash the start of the war; engaging in the most immoral
equivalence and failing to assign responsibility to Russia for its
invasion and ruthless aggression; voting with Russia and North Korea
against our longtime friends and allies in Europe and around the world;
and abandoning and insulting our allies as Putin seeks to remake the
map of Europe.
What is this resolution in the United Nations about that we helped
defeat? The United States has used its influence and its vetoes in the
Security Council many times, but this resolution was offered by dozens
of our close allies on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of
Ukraine. What was in it that was so objectionable to split the United
States from its friends?
The resolution made clear that Russia started this war. It reaffirmed
the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. It deplored Russian
aggression on women and children. It raised concerns with North Korean
troops fighting alongside Russian forces. It noted the threat to
nuclear safety. It called for an end to the war and a just and lasting
peace and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian lands.
None of this is in dispute--none. This was the resolution that the
United States, the leader of the free world, blocked at the United
Nations. Can any Member of this body point to a single problematic word
in that resolution? Of course not.
The Senate should stand by that resolution, even as we must stand by
Ukraine.
Today, the White House and Kremlin seek to rewrite the history of
this war with falsehood and slander, calling Zelenskyy the dictator,
Ukraine the instigator, and Putin the hero. We need to do more than say
something; we need to do something.
``Slava Ukraini.''
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Moreno). The majority whip.