Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague. And thank you, Madam Speaker, for your statements. I agree wholeheartedly with you.

America is having a fight undertaken for us by the Ukrainian forces. Ukraine is fighting for liberty around the world. It is fighting for freedom-loving countries that want to push back against aggression from any nation, whether it be Russia or China or any other that would attempt to take away liberties from free citizens.

I just returned from Ukraine Tuesday night. I spent the Easter weekend in Ukraine. I had the unbelievable privilege of speaking in two churches. Irpin, where the city had been impacted by missiles and bombs, homes blown up, lives taken; and a church that had not met since the beginning of war met on Easter, Resurrection Sunday.

And I looked at the faces of the people thinking, How do I speak to them? An American Member of Congress, who lives freely, without nations trying to take our freedom away. And I could only respond to them from the one who gave freedom, His words, Jesus himself.

And I looked at the faces of the people, and there was resolve there, and there was a joy that they were doing what was necessary to promote freedom for their land.

I spoke in another church in Kyiv that afternoon. The same viewpoint on the faces of those citizens. And yet, a great appreciation for America, for their Western allies, for what we have done, thus far, to stand with them. They are fighting for us as well as for themselves.

Later that afternoon, I went out to the Bucha region, and I saw the site of a massive undertaking by Russia to cross the river to bring their tanks in to take over Kyiv. And the amazing forces of the citizens themselves fought back. One hundred Ukrainian lives were lost; 500 Russian lives.

I saw a boot laying there of a Russian soldier with the foot still in it. And I came to understand that Ukrainians aren't killing Russians, Putin is.

America needs to stand. I was in Odesa, and I saw the missile strike on an apartment that took the lives of a grandmother, her daughter, and a little baby, the 3-month-old daughter of that young lady.

I talked to the mayor of Odesa. They are standing firm. The blockade that is on there must be taken away so they can feed the world.

In my pocket I carry an emblem, military emblem that was given to me at Hostomel airfield that the brave forces took on Russia, trying to take that airfield to become a hopping off point for all of their action. They held back Russia's troops; their elite troops; their elite marines.

The Russian troops took out the largest aircraft in the world that was only used for humanitarian reasons.

This bill is necessary. I express appreciation to my colleagues for moving it forward. I express appreciation to our Speaker for moving it forward. It needs to be done.

Stand with Ukraine. They have stood with us.

God bless Ukraine. God bless America.

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