Rubio, Senate Republicans Introduce Strategic U.S. Response To Deter Russian Aggression In Europe

Press Release

In a press conference earlier today, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced legislation with 20 Senate Republicans providing a strategic U.S. response to deter Russian aggression in Europe, which threatens regional security and prosperity that is critical for maintaining economic growth in the United States.

"We live in a global economy. As Americans, our ability to sell goods and services to other nations is critical to our economic future and to the creation of jobs. We cannot allow the world to become a place where countries become off limits to us, as markets, because they are afraid of a more powerful neighbor taking actions against them," said Rubio. "And that's precisely what's happened here. And it's setting a precedent, especially for countries like Russia and potentially China, that if you don't want a neighboring country to do more commerce and trade and economic engagement with the West, you simply invade them or intimidate them.

"What this bill endeavors to do, these sanctions will do, is it will change that calculus. It will change that calculus so that he and the people around him realize that the costs of having taken this action now far outweigh any perceived benefits," added Rubio. "We think that's what our foreign policy should be grounded on, and I hope and urge Senator Reid and the Democrats who still run this place to give us a chance to have a vote on this. I think we could pass it if we did."

The Russian Aggression Prevention Act of 2014 is cosponsored by Mitch McConnell (R-KY) Bob Corker (R-TN), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John McCain (R-AZ), John Cornyn (R-TX), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mark Kirk (R-IL.), John Barrasso (R-WY), Jim Risch (R-ID), Dan Coats (R-IN), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Rob Portman (R-OH), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), John Thune (R-SD) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ).