OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Disapproving the Russian Federation's Inclusion in Future Group of Seven Summits Until It Respects the Territorial Integrity of its Neighbors and Adheres to the Standards of Democratic Societies

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 3, 2019
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 546.

Under President Putin's leadership, Russia has invaded and occupied parts of Ukraine and Georgia, assassinated political opponents at home and abroad, and enabled the corrupt regimes of Assad in Syria and Maduro in Venezuela.

Putin has also waged cyber warfare and disinformation campaigns against the United States and our allies, interfered in our elections, and spied off of our coasts with their submarine warfare capability.

All of these actions go against the fundamental principles of the Group of Seven and threaten democracies around the world.

As I have said many times over the years, Mr. Putin is not our friend. The United States and our allies cannot trust him to be a reliable partner as long as he continues to lead his country down a path of corruption, assassinations, and oppression.

As stated in this resolution, Russia should not be readmitted to the Group of Seven until Putin respects the principles shared by the other members, relinquishes his choke hold over Crimea, and ceases his global attacks on democratic institutions. Maintaining the integrity of the Group of Seven is vital to the group's success, and Russia cannot be allowed to bully its way back in.

I would like to thank Representative Sires for his hard work on this resolution, and my good friend, Representative Smith, for championing this resolution today. Under Putin's leadership, the world has become more deadly and more dangerous, and his people have fewer freedoms and greater poverty.

In closing, we need to stand up to dictators like Mr. Putin. I do think this is not, again, a Republican or a Democrat issue. Standing up against a hostile enemy, Mr. Putin and the Russian Federation, is an American issue.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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