[Pages H1996-H1998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      LIBERTY VERSUS DICTATORSHIP

  (Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, Ms. Kaptur 
of Ohio was recognized for 30 minutes.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to place remarks on the Record this 
evening focusing on liberty versus dictatorship.
  We have several Members who wish to submit comments for the Record. 
Congressman   Mike Quigley is here this evening. Congressman Eugene 
Vindman is in a committee markup right now, and Congressman   Steve 
Cohen will also have remarks for the Record.
  I will begin briefly, and then I will yield to my fellow Congressman 
from Illinois.
  China's dictator Xi was recently at the historic military parade that 
fellow dictator Vladimir Putin celebrated in Moscow. The purpose of the 
celebration was to honor the anniversary of Europe's defeat of Nazi 
Germany, signaling Putin's intent to actually use that occasion to turn 
his binoculars on capturing more free territory to control Ukraine and 
beyond.
  Putin and Xi together in that situation was rather hard to look at. 
Yet, their presence underscored the danger stemming from their close 
and increasing cooperation, enlarging the spiderweb of tyranny led by 
Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, all of them acting against 
liberty around the world.
  Xi said that Russia and China should be friends of steel. He said 
that they would deepen relationships in all areas, including military 
ties, and strengthen coordination in order to decisively counter 
Washington's course of dual containment of Russia and China.
  What is more, North Korean troops who have been fighting against 
Ukraine's freedom and their freedom fighters for months were fully on 
display in Red Square, where Putin embraced them.
  America, pay attention.
  While Iran was not present at the parade, it continues to be 
omnipresent in the skies above Ukraine. Ukrainians can't avoid the 
Shahed drones that Russia is using and buying from Iran to kill 
innocent Ukrainian civilians who are fighting for their very liberty.
  This military parade took place at a critical moment in Moscow's 
aggression on Ukraine as American efforts proceed to negotiate an end 
to it. To be clear: Vital NATO interests are at stake in central 
Europe, where Ukraine serves as the scrimmage line for liberty across 
Europe today.
  Russia is the free world's only peer in terms of its nuclear 
capabilities, and Russia's national security doctrine declares our 
country and our people as its principal foe.
  America, pay attention.
  Putin has made clear that he wants effective political control in 
Ukraine and other free nations that used to be part of the Soviet 
Union. Putin also wants a veto over defense measures being taken in the 
former Warsaw Pact states that want to remain free. Putin doesn't want 
that. This means he wants to dictate the fate of many of our NATO 
allies in Europe and beyond.
  Instead of strategically pushing back on Putin's unchanged goals of 
European and global domination, this administration has steadily given 
Russian exactly what it wants, both in Ukraine and well beyond. If 
Putin had a checklist of things he wanted America to do, I will in a 
brief time tell you what it would look like, and it is exactly what the 
Trump administration is doing.
  Before I get into that, I am going to call on my dear colleague from 
the great city of Chicago, Congressman   Mike Quigley, to enter his 
remarks.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, for 1,176 days, people of Ukraine have lived under 
constant threat of attack and attack. As the war has dragged on for 
over 3 years, Ukrainians have refused to submit to Putin's violence. At 
every turn, they have shown the world what it means to be fighting on 
the front lines for democracy. At every turn, the Ukrainian people have 
been willing to do what is necessary for protection and for peace.
  When their sovereignty was threatened by Putin, they defended their 
country courageously. When the opportunity for diplomatic negotiations 
arose, they were willing to come to the table. In exchange for their 
bravery and sacrifice, all they have asked for is respect for their 
independence, their autonomy, and their democracy.
  Peace between Ukraine and Russia must not come at Ukraine's expense. 
We want peace. Ukrainians desperately want peace, but it cannot be a 
Russian victory. In order to have a just and lasting peace, we must 
return Ukraine to its 1991 borders. Ukraine must also have serious 
security assurances from the U.S. and NATO so that Putin is deterred 
from ever threatening the country again.
  Russia must alone help fund this great construction after targeting 
civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, hospitals, and 
schools. We must also hold Putin accountable for his army's war crimes, 
like those in Bucha, which I witnessed, and for the kidnapping of 
thousands of Ukrainian children.
  As the Trump administration continues to push for negotiations 
between Ukraine and Russia, we must all keep in mind exactly who we are 
dealing with. Putin has refused to negotiate in good faith, reportedly 
violating the very same cease-fire he unilaterally declared last week. 
So far, he has refused to even direct negotiations with President 
Zelenskyy in Turkiye.
  This is the same man who has welcomed China's, Iran's, and North 
Korea's support for his war effort. He has shown contempt for all 
international democratic norms, both in his own country and in dealing 
with others.
  This is why the only way to deal with Putin is by sending a clear 
message--a message of strength and of unity. As the United States has 
for the better part of a century, we must continue to stand up to 
tyrants and defend freedom. We have learned that isolationism and 
appeasing autocrats is a losing strategy. As President Trump and his 
administration continue to push for negotiations between Ukraine and 
Russia, I encourage them to remember history. Remember the reasons we 
fought the Second World War and the reasons we founded NATO.

  Now is not the time to abandon our values or our position as a leader 
of the free world. Now is the time to pressure Putin to end this brutal 
war for good. The future of the Ukrainian people, the future of Europe, 
and the future of democracy are dependent on how we meet this moment. 
This is a moral, tactical, and strategic imperative.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank our co-chair of the Ukrainian 
Caucus, Congressman   Mike Quigley of Chicago, for participating this 
evening.


                             General Leave

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on this Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Baumgartner). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentlewoman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I will go back to discussing some of the 
actions the administration has taken that have undermined America's 
position globally.
  First of all, the Trump administration has sided with Russia over 
Ukraine, most especially by pausing military assistance to Ukraine. Mr. 
Speaker, 75 percent of those dollars are spent in this country on 
weaponry to help Ukraine repel the enemy.
  Ukraine has been courageously standing and fighting in the breach 
between liberty and dictatorship. This has come at great cost to her 
people, her prosperity, and her aspirations.
  The poorest country in Europe, Ukraine is holding back Putin's 
covetousness and aggression against the Continent of Europe. Ukraine 
wants nothing more than to finally and permanently ascend to the 
community of free nations in the European Union and join as a strong 
ally in NATO. For that aspiration, Putin attacked Ukraine and

[[Page H1997]]

is eating her territory, and the Ukrainians are holding her off--can 
you imagine--the third largest military in the world.
  Despite Ukraine being aligned with our values in its historic fight 
to regain its freedom, President Trump has time and again spouted 
Russian talking points by admonishing Ukraine and falsely suggesting 
that she started the war.
  That is false.
  Russia initiated its invasion of Crimea in 2014 and the larger full 
scale of invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It is just amazing what the 
Ukrainians are doing. In trying to negotiate a cease-fire between 
Ukraine and Russia, President Trump and Vice President Vance have 
squeezed concession after concession out of Ukraine, even its mineral 
wealth. At times, the Trump administration has effectively held 
Ukraine's economic future ransom for more military aid.
  This includes the dastardly moment when President Trump suddenly 
withheld U.S. support and intelligence sharing that Ukraine relies on 
to defend itself from Russia's onslaught. Such a pause undoubtedly cost 
Ukrainian lives.
  Trump has stated that Putin wants peace in Ukraine. Surely he can't 
believe this. Putin has failed to uphold any cease-fire agreement, 
including those struck with the United States of America. Dictator 
Putin doesn't want peace. He wants Ukraine, all of Ukraine, and beyond.

                              {time}  2045

  Secondly, the Trump administration has been dividing democratic 
alliances.
  Yesterday, President Trump astoundingly said the European union is 
worse than China. He even has said that the European union was created 
to ``screw America.''
  In what world does he live? He seems not to know our history.
  Our Nation and European nations that won World War II created NATO to 
sustain liberty's alliance and as a shield against future invasions. 
Together, we comprise a formidable force. In doing so America was 
guaranteed strong security partners to defend against a world war and 
new threats of tyranny like that of Putin, North Korea, and Iran today.
  That is why we have the European allies. They are our oldest friends 
and partners and we share a love of liberty. Rather than stand united 
as we have been for decades, the Trump administration has threatened 
to--are you ready for this--annex Canada and invade Greenland, which is 
part of Denmark.
  Both are current NATO allies. Canada fought nobly with our troops on 
the shores of Normandy on D-day and many other places. Both nations 
served honorably alongside our Armed Forces in Afghanistan in response 
to 9/11. Threatening our neighbors and allies in such a manner is 
taking a page out of the very playbook of lies Putin has used 
repeatedly against Ukraine. Our partnerships have been won and 
developed as liberty's umbrella with the democratic nations of Europe.
  Putin knows that. He cannot defeat our alliance if we stand united. 
Instead, he now waits for Trump to break apart our own security blanket 
so he can pick liberty's shield off one by one.
  Thirdly, the Trump administration has weakened our cyber defense. 
U.S. top intelligence officers recently released the annual threat 
assessment, which states the following: ``Russia's advanced cyber 
capabilities, its repeated success compromising sensitive targets for 
intelligence collection, and its past attempts to pre-position access 
on U.S. critical infrastructure make it a persistent 
counterintelligence and cyberattack threat. Moscow's unique strength is 
the practical experience it has gained integrating cyberattacks and 
operations with wartime military action, almost certainly amplifying 
its potential to focus combined impact on U.S. targets in time of 
conflict.''
  So yes, Russia is a real threat to our freedom. Its cyber 
capabilities are a unique threat. Despite knowing this to be true, 
Trump has taken steps to tear down our cyber capabilities in a 
comprehensive manner. Why?
  Since taking office, Elon Musk and DOGE have decimated cybersecurity, 
CISA, our premier cybersecurity agency, with personnel cuts and stop 
work orders.
  Why would anyone do that?
  In March, President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly 
ended U.S. cyber operations against Russia. This was done without 
warning and without consulting Congress.
  Then in April, at the beck and call of a far-right, online opinion 
influencer, President Trump fired four-star General Timothy Haugh 
without warning from his position leading our military cyber forces. 
General Haugh--get ready for this--served our Nation honorably with 
distinction for 34 years.
  The Trump administration has left America's cyber gates unlocked at a 
time when cyberattacks are rapidly on the rise. Putin will make our 
Nation pay dearly for that set of serious errors.
  Fourthly, Trump administration policies threaten U.S. global economic 
standing. Through American ingenuity and hard work, the likes of wish 
Russia cannot compete against, our Nation's financial systems are a 
privileged place at the center of a global economic system.

  The United States has the largest economy in the world. Most other 
nations rely on the U.S. dollar to hold their savings and reliably 
conduct international trade. Putin wants to end that. Trump's 
unprecedented and irresponsible reciprocal tariff regime is helping 
Putin achieve that goal. Not only has Trump's costly universal tariffs 
endangered our good trade relations with our closest economic allies, 
moreover, they are also making others think twice about using and 
trusting the U.S. dollar.
  These costly economic taxes on U.S. consumers will be very difficult 
to reverse, even if Trump pulls back his tariffs, supply chains are 
clogged already.
  Putin has long spoken about his interest in reducing the world's 
reliance on America's economic strength and the U.S. dollar. Such a 
world leaves each American poorer and with fewer economic 
opportunities. Just as Russia relies on oil exports to finance and 
undercut the financial sanctions that have been placed on that country 
due to its invasion of Ukraine, Putin has called for the world to adopt 
untraceable cryptocurrency to protect his assets. He prefers this 
unregulated alternative as he pushes the world to abandon the dollar.
  Now, Trump is one of the world's biggest promoters of cryptocurrency 
and has even started his own cryptocurrency to avoid regulated 
financial markets to enrich himself and his family.
  Fifthly and finally, the Trump administration's actions to date are 
upending America's global reputation. Perhaps most damaging, Trump has 
upended our global reputation as a responsible partner and guardian of 
liberty across our world. He leans toward dictators.
  What is that all about?
  It took 80 years for America, with our leaders like Franklin 
Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan to meticulously secure our 
place as leader of the free world. We didn't seek it, but we did our 
job.
  America is the global beacon of liberty and justice for all. Our 
reputation has been earned by tremendous sacrifice and vision. Our 
commitment to liberty has been built on the sacred graves of over 
500,000 Americans who sacrificed their lives for the first time in 
history and fought not for power or land, but for the liberation of 
others from tyranny during World War II.
  Over 2 million of our fellow citizens bore the injuries from that 
conflict. In the decades that followed, our Nation and our allies 
became prosperous not by closing our doors to the world or hiding from 
the challenges of the Communist bloc, our forebearers met tyranny head-
on. We met the threats that we faced and stood together on our Nation's 
founding commitment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, 
year after year, in the face of constant threats.
  American liberty has been a multigenerational effort, admired around 
the world with each generation standing firm. In just over 100 days, 
Donald Trump, whose family has no record anywhere of military service 
or sacrifice for this Nation, is carelessly throwing liberty to the 
wolves. He seems to enjoy dictatorship, plutocracy, and wealth over 
principle. Russia celebrates as America retreats from the world, so 
does Iran and North Korea.

[[Page H1998]]

  Trump has taken Putin at his word. Putin's word can never be trusted. 
As long as President Trump keeps trusting Putin over our allies, then 
he will continue to do Russia's bidding at the expense of the American 
people.
  If America doesn't lead, then Putin and Xi and all of their dictator 
buddies will rule the day, and in their world, liberty cannot survive.
  America must pay attention. Pay attention not just to what is 
happening inside our borders but outside our borders. I can tell you 
there are enemies to liberty across this world. We have to hold our 
ground. We have to tell our own President pay attention, learn from 
history, appreciate the relationships that had been won at such a high 
price.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressmen Quigley, Cohen, and Vindman, all of 
whom will contribute remarks to the Record this evening.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________