Recognizing Yanina Nickless As State of the Union Guest

Floor Speech

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Ms. PINGREE. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Yanina Nickless, who is my invited guest for President Biden's 2022 State of the Union address. Yanina lives in my district, but her family is home in Ukraine fighting for their lives and for democracy amid Russian invasion.

For the past week, Vladimir Putin has attempted to violently overthrow a sovereign democracy. But it's the countless examples of courage by Ukrainians like Yanina's family that has united the free world--rallying behind democracy and against autocracy--as the Ukraine people defend their homeland. As Yanina told me, ``Every day I wake up, I hope my parents wake up too. I'm staying strong for them and for my country and I believe in the USA and in the world. Thank you, Congresswoman Pingree and President Biden, for not being silent and for supporting a democracy in Ukraine. Ukrainians will never forget.''

It is truly an honor to have Yanina join me tonight as President Biden further unites our nation with his State of the Union address. Yanina and her family's heartbreaking story deserves to be heard on the global stage--joining a chorus of courage in the fight for freedom. Under President Biden's leadership, the U.S. stands firmly against Russia's unprovoked war.

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