Ukraine Security Assistance and Oversight Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member McCollum for her steadfast leadership and yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill provides military support for Ukraine. I firmly stand on the side of Ukraine, on the side of liberty, and against Russian tyranny.

Such support to Ukraine is both necessary and noble. Given the immensity of the ongoing onslaught by Russia to do less is acquiescence to Vladimir Putin and his expansionist lethal ambitions.

America's commitment to delivering aid to Ukraine is rooted in the enduring U.S.-Ukraine relationship, a partnership that dates back to Ukraine's Declaration of Independence as a captive nation from the clutches of the Soviet Union when it collapsed in 1991.

Since that pivotal moment, the United States has consistently backed Ukraine, providing vital support for sovereignty, security, and development through foreign assistance. The urgency of our cultural, political, and economic ties with Ukraine has gained even greater significance in the face of Vladimir Putin's unprovoked aggression. The free world cannot turn a blind eye to the consequences of failing to deter Putin's expansionist ambitions after his 2014 annexation of Crimea.

The world's inaction then led to the horrifying events of February 24 last year when Russian tanks rolled into Kyiv, Ukraine, to impose foreign tyranny over 40 million people. In response to Ukraine's brave resistance, Putin has unleashed a calculated campaign of terror. He invaded, bombed cities, kidnapped children, and committed grievous war crimes with the intent of erasing Ukraine's very identity as a free nation.

More than 120,000 lives have been lost; 170,000 troops have been injured on the scrimmage line of liberty in Europe; 20,000 wounded amputees are a grim reminder of Putin's butchery. Valiantly, Ukraine has not surrendered. The free world must meet Russia's latest salvo against freedom.

Ukraine's heroic defenses serve as a beacon of hope. When people unite to defend their freedom, they can overcome the most predatory, formidable enemies. There are implications for global security far beyond Ukraine. Ukraine's plight is not just about its liberty; it is about freedom everywhere.

Let me be clear: Funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative is not just about financial aid, it is a testament to our full-fledged commitment to a free, sovereign, and democratic nation.

To Ukrainians here in America and abroad, know that the free world and everyone that represents the majority on both sides of the aisle here, all of our colleagues, stand with you.

Freedom means never surrender. Liberty's allies stand by the brave people of Ukraine. With our help, the Ukrainians will defeat Putin's aggression.

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