Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for bringing this bill to the floor.

I rise in support of Mr. Kean's bill.

Mr. Speaker, after President Obama's appeasement and inaction, Putin took Crimea without firing a shot and invaded the Donbas, 15,000 people were killed back in 2014. It was President Trump that started sending Javelins and other lethal weapons to Ukraine to defend itself and continued important training and logistical support of the Ukrainians that had preceded his efforts.

It was President Trump that signed into law this annual funding every year of his Presidency. That is why this small nation of Ukraine with its brave people, amazing drive, and passion for freedom have demonstrated to the world that it is the best military in the territory of Ukraine. Russia has stumbled from being the second largest power in the world militarily to maybe barely the second best in Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, the price for less than 1 week of Federal spending authorized by this Congress--less than 1 week of Federal spending--we have seen the Ukrainians decimate the Russian military strength and set it back decades.

Mr. Speaker, I support this measure tonight. I support the reassessment of Ukraine's strategy to win and win promptly, too. Heads, Ukraine wins. Tails, Russia, the invader, loses. We need to make sure they have the right strategy and that it has got the right way to win and win promptly.

I support the careful and prudent inspector general funding attached to this bill to make sure that American taxpayer funds are spent in the right way to have a decisive defeat of the Russians.

Mr. Speaker, I urge that we adopt this bill with a strong bipartisan vote.

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