Isolate Russian Government Officials Act of 2022

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of Congresswoman Wagner's bill, H.R. 6891, the Isolate Russian Government Officials Act.

As the United States and our allies confront Russia's aggression in Ukraine, we must show the world that the Congress can unite around bipartisan legislation to hold the Putin regime accountable.

I thank my friend, Congresswoman Wagner, who recognized early that Russia's invasion of Ukraine required a complete rethinking of Moscow's involvement and engagement in our international organizations.

Congresswoman Wagner is eminently qualified for that as she is a senior member of both the House Financial Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has had the distinction of serving our Nation abroad as our Ambassador.

Congresswoman Wagner's bill would establish that U.S. policy is to exclude Russia from participating in key international bodies until Moscow withdraws completely from Ukraine.

I think Americans join us in knowing that it is illogical and unreasonable for a country that threatens peace in Europe and financial stability globally to take part in overseeing the world's many multilateral financial system organizations.

Our strong sanctions against the Putin regime have been vital to raising the costs and imposing new ones, as we have talked about on this floor today, on Moscow, on Putin's leadership, on his cronies. But Moscow must pay a diplomatic cost as well.

We were in Romania and Poland, many of us on both sides of the aisle, over the last few weeks, and we have also had some extraordinary presentations by the distinguished Ambassador to the United Nations from Ukraine. Universally, diplomats in the European Union, across Europe, and at the United Nations are asking themselves: Are we really going to have business as usual when a member of the U.N. Security Council invades another United Nations member and destroys a country?

Today, we are proposing to employ a heavy diplomatic cost on Moscow, and that means leaving Russian Government officials on the outside, Madam Speaker, looking in.

After H.R. 6891 was introduced, Russia was suspended from the Bank for International Settlements and agreed to no longer participate in the meetings of the FSB, the Financial Stability Board. These moves would be codified in law when Mrs. Wagner's bill is enacted. We now need the G20 to follow suit.

While it is a symbolic step for Treasury Secretary Yellen and other allied officials to walk out of the recent G20 meeting last month, where Russian representatives were attending, this Congress and our transatlantic partners need to do more.

Under this bill, a hostile Russia would have no future in the G20. H.R. 6891 presents a clear choice for the Putin regime: End your destabilizing, illegal violations of Ukrainian sovereignty or remain an international pariah.

Our response to Putin's invasion should signal to China a similar fate awaits Beijing should it ever decide to follow in Putin's ill- conceived footsteps. The costs imposed on Russia through this bill foreshadow costs that China or any other nation bears if it violates the international norms of behavior.

This strong measure passed unanimously in the House Financial Services Committee, and I, too, welcome its passage on this House floor. I thank Chair Waters for her work on H.R. 6891 and appreciate the strong bipartisan work on this important national security, economic security, and diplomatic cost measure.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Wagner), the author of H.R. 6891. Let me reiterate Congresswoman Wagner's experience as the vice chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee and vice chairwoman for the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HILL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

First, I reiterate my thanks to Mrs. Wagner for her leadership on this bill and as she has done so well ably, even as a diplomat in our own House of Representatives, provided leadership through the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services on this issue.

Secondly, let me reiterate Mr. Connolly's comment that we do speak in one voice on this House floor as it relates to Putin's illegal, unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation, Ukraine, particularly egregious for a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, to place the world in this position. But I think we do have to take to heart Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations' view of ``we are not going to have business as usual.''

So while we speak as one voice here in the people's House, let's encourage the executive branch, under President Biden, to also speak with one voice on this point. Let's not have weasel words from former Secretary Kerry talking about, ``Oh, but we need the Russians' support on climate'' or Jake Sullivan saying, ``Oh, but we have got to have Russian support negotiating with Iran on the failed JCPOA reentry project of this administration.''

I agree it is not business as usual, and you can't have it both ways when you are having Ukraine, a nation of over 40 million people, the size of the State of Texas, in the heart of central Europe, invaded by a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. It is outrageous. They don't have a seat at the table, and this bill demonstrates it and demonstrates that strong bipartisan view in the House of Representatives that Putin doesn't deserve a seat at the table.

I think Americans, as I said earlier, believe it is illogical and unreasonable for a country that threatens peace on the Continent of Europe and financial stability globally in any way, shape, or form, take part in overseeing the economic affairs of our international order.

Therefore, I reiterate that this bipartisan support for Ukraine is fully embraced in H.R. 6891. I urge all Members to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source