Expressing the Sense of the Senate Condemning the Russian Federation, President Vladimir Putin, Members of the Russian Security Council, the Russian Armed Forces, and Russian Military Commanders for Committing Atrocities, Including Alleged War Crimes, Against the People of Ukraine and Others

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, in a few minutes, we will pass a resolution, S. Res. 546, condemning the Russian Federation, condemning Vladimir Putin, and expressing the sense of the Senate condemning the Russian Federation, Putin, and members of Russian security council, Russian Armed Forces, and Russian military commanders for committing atrocities, alleged war crimes against the people of Ukraine.

It has been 19 days--19 long, bloody days since the war erupted on the European continent. Today, all of us in this Chamber join together as Democrats and Republicans to say that Vladimir Putin cannot escape accountability for the atrocities committed against the Ukrainian people. The legislation passing today, championed by Senator Graham, sends an unmistakable message that the United States stands with Ukraine, stands against Putin, and stands with all efforts to hold Putin accountable for the atrocities levied upon the Ukrainian people.

Putin is not winning militarily, so now, this evil man is trying to win by massacring civilians, massacring babies, parents, the elderly, pregnant women, shooting at hospitals, sending missiles to hospitals, apartment buildings, et cetera--just as he did in Syria, just as he did in Chechnya--wiping out the civilian population in hopes of winning.

But in his monomaniacal hubris, Putin has severely underestimated the Ukrainian people. Every time an innocent Ukrainian is killed, the resolve of the Ukrainian people grows stronger. And we stand with them.

We have all seen the images, heard the stories, and watched the videos of the reality of this awful war. Hundreds--maybe even thousands--of civilians have been killed, as I said, from the elderly all the way down to babies not even a month old. These atrocities deserve to be investigated for war crimes.

Entire cities with hundreds of thousands of people have been left with no water, no power, no connection to the outside world. Unable to overtake Ukraine in a quick strike, Russian forces seem to be openly targeting sites that have little military significance.

Today, I am proud to ask unanimous consent and ask all of my colleagues to support today's legislation condemning Putin's atrocities and supporting efforts to hold him accountable before the eyes of the entire world.

Res 546, submitted earlier today.

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Mr. SCHUMER. I know of no further debate on the resolution.
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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have several more wrap-ups.

Would the Senator from Mississippi indulge me?

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I thank the Senator once again. He is always courteous. Even when we disagree, he is very courteous.

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Mr. SCHUMER. Which--I hasten to add for his sake--is often.

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