9/18/14: Today, the House and Senate will meet in a joint session to hear from President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine. Here's a recap of recent diplomatic efforts and proposals introduced in Congress.
Last week, President Obama announced new sanctions against Russia along with G-7 and European partners and our other Allies. "We will deepen and broaden sanctions in Russia’s financial, energy, and defense sectors," he explained. "These measures will increase Russia’s political isolation as well as the economic costs to Russia, especially in areas of importance to President Putin and those close to him."
Already, the Obama Administration has committed $60 million in support for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MOD), State Border Guard Service and the National Guard, as well as meals ready-to-eat, body armor, radios, vehicles, thermal vision devices, medical supplies, explosive ordinance disposal robots, uniforms, and individual tactical gear. Meanwhile, NATO reports that Russian troops remain inside eastern Ukraine with some 20,000 amassed along the border.
Proposals in Congress
Members of Congress have been vocal about responding to Russian aggression. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), who along with Lindsey Graham (R-SC), announced they are "deeply concerned" that the cease-fire could "saddle Ukraine with a debilitating frozen conflict that amounts to Transnistria in eastern Ukraine." "If history teaches us anything," they explained, "it is that when people who believe in the rule of law and democracy give way to the dictates of thugs, it always gets worse."
Here are bills recently introduced in Congress:
- S 2828: Ukraine Freedom Support Act— Bipartisan — imposes broad sanctions on Russia’s defense, energy, and financial sectors, as well as increases military and non-military assistance for Ukraine, according to bill sponsors. Requires the President to apply sanctions against Rosoboronexport and other Russian defense firms that contribute to instability in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and Syria; companies worldwide that make significant investments in particular unconventional Russian crude oil energy projects; Gazprom, if the President determines that Gazprom is withholding significant natural gas supplies from member countries of NATO or further withholds such supplies from countries such as Ukraine, Georgia, or Moldova. Authorizes the President to provide $350 million (in FY15) military assistance to Ukraine, including providing defense articles, defense services, and training to the Government of Ukraine for the purpose of countering offensive weapons and reestablishing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including anti-tank and anti-armor weapons; crew weapons and ammunition; counter-artillery radars to identify and target artillery batteries; fire control, range finder, and optical and guidance and control equipment; tactical troop-operated surveillance drones, and secure command and communications equipment. Authorizes $50 million (in FY15) in short-term emergency energy assistance.
- HR 4346: NATO Alliance Recognition and Promotion Act — Bipartisan — "Encourages enhanced security cooperation with America's European allies and the continued enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization," according to bill sponsors. (And S 2283 in the Senate.)
- HR 4433: Forging Peace Through Strength in Ukraine and the Transatlantic Alliance Act — Bipartisan — Would condemn Russian aggression and illegal annexation of Crimea, while also seeking to reassure NATO allies and promote closer military cooperation with Ukraine," according to bill sponsors.
- S 2555: Report on military assistance to Ukraine — Bipartisan — Expresses the sense of Congress that the President, working with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, should provide the armed forces of Ukraine with appropriate non-lethal military assistance and military training support requested by the government of Ukraine. Directs the Secretary of Defense (DOD), every 180 days until Jan. 31, 2017, to report to Congress regarding military assistance to Ukraine.
Please keep in mind that highlighting a bill doesn't imply a POPVOX endorsement in any way. Rather, we're simply trying to offer one more way to stay informed of an overwhelmingly complex legislative system.
