Congressman Anthony G. Brown (MD-04), a member of the House Armed Services Committee and 30-year Army veteran, released the following statement on the passage of $13.6 billion in additional humanitarian, military and economic assistance for Ukrainian citizens and further sanctions against Russia for its premeditated war:
"The conflict in Ukraine is a war between democratic values and authoritarian oppression. With this funding, we affirm to Ukraine and the world that the United States will always be a reserve for the defense of democracy and human rights.
"As a pariah state working to upend the global world order, Russia cannot be allowed to use its energy reserves to fund the atrocities it is imposing on the Ukrainian people. The measures passed today to ban oil imports and deny access to the World Trade Organization reinforce the actions taken by the free world to isolate Russia from the global economy. We will continue to meet Russian military escalation with corresponding economic and diplomatic sanctions.
"It should be clear to Russia and President Putin that the world is united in its resistance to his grievous attacks on Ukraine and against its people. As history has demonstrated, Putin will find that democracy has deeper reserves than those who side with tyranny. Continuing Russian aggression against Ukraine will only serve to strengthen our resolve to defend our shared values, standing in stark contrast to Putin's willingness to sacrifice the prosperity and wellbeing of the Russian people, all in the name of an unwanted and unnecessary war."