Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1097, I call up the bill (H.R. 7691) making emergency supplemental appropriations for assistance for the situation in Ukraine for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provides $40.1 billion in much-needed emergency security, economic, and humanitarian aid to support the Ukrainian people and defend global democracy in the wake of Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

For nearly 3 months now, Putin's greed, growing aggression, and unyielding pursuit of power have led to grievous loss of life and humanitarian devastation. The cruelty against innocent civilians at the hands of Putin and his cronies is devastating. The images of the violence and terror coming from Ukraine should horrify us all.

Entire cities are being demolished. Ukraine's democracy is being undermined every single day. Women and girls are being sexually abused by cruel Russian soldiers. Hospitals and universities, which should be safe havens, are being intentionally attacked. War crimes are being carried out every single day as part of a deeply dangerous pattern of extensive shootings, torture, and other violent crimes. Thousands of innocent children and their families have been brutally murdered. As a result, nearly 6 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their country, and another 6\1/2\ million have been displaced inside war-torn Ukraine.

Given the magnitude of the terror campaign being waged against the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian democracy, we are morally obligated to ensure the brave Ukrainian fighters and the Ukrainian people have the security and economic aid that they need. I am proud to be standing here today in support of a bill that does just that.

This legislation invests strongly to support Ukraine's dire efforts to defend itself by keeping weapons and ammunition flowing without interruption. With $6 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, we will provide the equipment, training, and weapons that the Ukrainian military and national security forces need to continue to protect the Ukrainian people. And at the same time, we are providing additional support for Ukraine and our allies and partners in the region as they continue to build and update their capabilities.

But we know very well that Russia's invasion is not only a threat to Ukraine's physical security, but also a threat to the very core of Ukrainian and global democracy. This bill will invest in critical economic assistance to help Ukraine protect its democracy by ensuring the continuity of its democratic government, by countering human trafficking, and by fighting dangerous Russian lies.

But the impact of this war does not end there. The prolonged invasion has taken an immense toll globally, where people the world over are suffering from a growing food insecurity and the rising costs of food. To address this devastating reality, we are providing more than $5 billion in emergency food assistance and support for agricultural development. As we support the fight against Russian aggression, those struggling to put food on the table, the most vulnerable people around our world deserve our support.

And none of the devastation caused would have been possible without help from Putin's cronies. For that reason, the funding in this bill will continue efforts to hold them accountable for the terror they have caused the people of Ukraine. With funds to seize, retain, and sell the forfeited property of Russia's criminal kleptocrats who enable Putin's regime war crimes, this bill ensures that we are one step closer to making them pay the full price for their actions. And in the process, we will be standing firmly with the Ukrainian people while combating the exploitation of Ukraine's vulnerable financial system.

For those Ukrainians who managed to find refuge at our borders, this bill provides funds to expand support services that will make sure they feel safe here as they search for peace and for freedom.

We are providing funds for trauma care, housing assistance, case management, English language classes, and for screenings, vaccinations, and ongoing public health surveillance.

The Ukrainian people are in desperate need of our support, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to threaten peace and democracy around the globe. This bill will protect democracy, limit Russian aggression, and strengthen our own national security while, most importantly, supporting Ukraine. We have no room to fail and must act swiftly and decisively.

The Members of this body came together quickly in March to provide critical security and economic support for the people of Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, while I am saddened and angry that we have to be here again today, Russia's continued aggression and this vicious invasion require us to act decisively in support of Ukraine, our allies in the region, and the millions of others suffering as a result of this war.

We need to protect global democracy, limiting Russian aggression in the longer term, and strengthening our own national security. Failure is not an option.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Kaptur), the chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, who has been a leader leading the effort and the fight to make sure that we help to preserve democracy in Ukraine and to really be responsive to the Ukrainian people.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Lee), the chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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Ms. DeLAURO. McCollum), the chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Davis).

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, and I do so without hesitation or reservation. I do so because there is no way that we could stand idly by and watch the horror that is being heaped upon our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.

Rather than just wringing our hands and talking about how unfortunate it is, we are doing something about it. We are bringing aid and help and assistance.

I am proud to be part of a country that looks out not only for itself but recognizes that we either stand for something or we fall together.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for her leadership. I also must thank the country of Poland. I thank Poland for standing up in the face of dire circumstances.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Jackson Lee).

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the leadership that we have shown in this Democratic Caucus, joined by our Republican friends.

Let me thank the chairwoman, the manager of this bill, and the Republican manager, my friend from Texas.

The one point that I think we can all agree to: This is a vile and violent and brutal and senseless war. It is Vladimir Putin trying to return to the greatness of Russia that fought Nazism but is now making a fiasco and light of what fighting Nazism is all about.

Going to Ukraine with the Hoyer codel, my focus was on the terrible plight of children. In an op-ed that was printed in the Houston Chronicle, I said that our children in war must never suffer the nightmare that UNICEF says.

So, I support this supplemental for the very reason of dealing with, one, providing for the munitions and exportability of funds to procure critical munitions, but as well the humanitarian aid that is to correct the devastation of children who saw the bodies of their parents dead in the street.

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Ms. DeLAURO. I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her kindness.

Dealing with the pictures that were depicted, but the stories that I heard of children sitting next to dead parents, or dead bodies, children unaccompanied, lost, orphaned.

So my conclusion is that, in addition to war, we must realize that our children are our future.

In this bill, the administration for children and families, $900 million to provide refugee support services, housing, English language, trauma and support services to help those who have been trafficked or may be trafficked, to help those who have been raped, young women and children; to deal with the Centers for Disease Control with $54 million to provide them medical support; and, of course, to be able to provide dealing with the migration and refugee circumstances that we saw in Poland that took 2 to 3 million refugees, including children.

We are standing on democracy. We are not afraid to stand with what is right, and we are not afraid to say glory to Ukraine. We want the victory for Ukraine, and we want defeat for Vladimir Putin. Regime change would be great, but we realize that will not happen, but defeat must happen. I support the supplemental. Let us stand for democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Granger for her support for this effort. As the Speaker pointed out, this has been a bipartisan measure since we moved on March 8. I also thank Chairman Rogers for speaking here tonight as well.

The world must see that we are united in our support of Ukraine. I think the Ukrainian people--they need us. They are in desperate need of our support. Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to threaten peace and democracy around the globe, and Vladimir Putin must be held accountable.

Why is there an unprovoked attack on a sovereign Nation whose only desire is to be free, to be a democracy, to associate itself with the West? Why is that a provocation for being invaded, for the massive destruction that Ukraine is undergoing at the moment? Again, Vladimir Putin and his cronies must be held accountable.

This bill does that by protecting democracy, limiting Russian aggression, and strengthening our own national security. We must act swiftly and decisively tonight. We have not seen such a mobilization of support around the world for an ally since World War II. I am so proud that that mobilization has been led by a United States President, President Biden.

It is a moral obligation. It is a moral responsibility. We can't sit by and watch news day-in and day-out seeing the massive destruction that is being wrought on Ukraine and its citizens. President Zelenskyy said: Light will overcome darkness. And our job is to help to provide the light.

I think it was stirring when you had, in Moscow, victory day, and President Putin with his extraordinary display of power. Then watching President Zelenskyy walk down the street of Kyiv on his own by himself, an extraordinary leader who needs to know--and I think he does know-- that the United States and the world is there to support his efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, we were together, as I said earlier on March 8, in support of Ukraine. Let us be together tonight in support of Ukraine.

Let us tell Vladimir Putin that the United States is leading the world in support of Ukraine on behalf of the Ukrainian people. Let him understand that he is alone in this world and needs to pay a price for this outrageous invasion and unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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