Letter to Congress From the Dudykevych Family
Floor Speech
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Mr. NORMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to read a letter from the Dudykevych family, who are originally from Ukraine and are now living in Tega Cay, South Carolina. They still have family who refuse to leave their homes and their country which, as we all know by now, is under brutal attack by the Russians.
The father of the Dudykevych family literally built their home with his own hands, which is now being destroyed for one reason and one reason alone--they desire freedom.
The heartfelt letter reads like this:
``To President Biden and to Members of the 117th Congress of the United States of America, we highly appreciate your legislative initiatives and clear stance against the cruel and diabolic Russian aggression against Ukraine.
``Today, I am urgently asking you to actively support immediate delivery of Eastern European fighter planes to Ukraine. The brave Ukrainian Army and the country's heroic citizens are winning the war on the ground.
``The problem is that Ukraine's cities are being destroyed and the citizens are being murdered from the air. I am requesting your urgent help in convincing the White House that immediate delivery of MiG planes to Ukraine should be the highest priority in support of a free Ukraine.
``What we are witnessing is a genocide against the Ukrainian people. We have an ability in this country and in the allied bases in Europe to stop these murderous attacks from the air. We have a moral obligation to do so. Our words are meant to reinforce President Zelenskyy's urgent demand for fighter planes.
``Ukrainian cities are lying in ruins, and thousands of citizens are dead and will keep dying because Ukraine's denial of fighter jets. These planes will protect the Ukrainian sky from Russian air raids.
``There are MiG-29 warplanes sitting at Allied bases in Europe ready for an immediate transfer. Ukrainian pilots are well-trained on these warplanes and can use them to stop the murderous attacks from the air tonight.
``We can no longer sit back and watch schools, hospitals, homes, apartment buildings, bomb shelters, everyday people of all ages being mass murdered on a daily basis.
``The news that a mother in labor and her unborn baby died after a maternity ward was bombed in Mariupol broke my heart. It is a tragedy that could have been prevented if Ukraine had the planes to defend the sky.
``I know you deal with many requests, but this is an existential need. Ukraine will not survive without your support. Nothing means more to me at this moment. The world is in desperate need of American leadership. Sincerely, Mila Dudykevych.''
This letter was emailed to me 12 days ago on Sunday, March 27, at 2:50 p.m. We all have seen the death and destruction that has occurred since this date, all which could have been avoided if this President had exercised leadership months ago by allowing for the release of the fighter jets, which he failed then and continues to fail now by refusing to honor the request of a desperate Ukrainian people whose only desire is to live in a free country for which they are willing to fight and die.
President Biden, the Ukrainian people and all the free people around the world do not deserve this type of blatant incompetence and willful neglect by the leader of the free world. Historians will record this truly sad course of events for all the world to see in the coming months and years. Mr. President, the words that will be recorded in the annals of history will not be kind.
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