December 3, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 192 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages H9197-H9198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1645
  DISAPPROVING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S INCLUSION IN FUTURE GROUP OF 
   SEVEN SUMMITS UNTIL IT RESPECTS THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF ITS 
     NEIGHBORS AND ADHERES TO THE STANDARDS OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES

  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 546) disapproving the Russian Federation's 
inclusion in future Group of Seven summits until it respects the 
territorial integrity of its neighbors and adheres to the standards of 
democratic societies.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 546

       Whereas, in 2014, Russia illegally occupied Ukraine's 
     Crimea region and parts of eastern Ukraine;
       Whereas these actions are in direct violation of 
     fundamental principles of international law, as well as the 
     United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, and the 1994 
     Budapest Memorandum;
       Whereas, in 1998, the Group of Seven invited Russia to join 
     the group in an effort to encourage continued political and 
     economic reforms in Russia;
       Whereas, in March 2014, the Group of Eight suspended Russia 
     as a direct result of its actions in Ukraine, and instead 
     continued as the Group of Seven;
       Whereas, on April 3, 2014, President Barack Obama signed 
     into law the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, 
     Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act of 2014, 
     which states that ``it is the policy of the United States 
     that the continued participation of the Russian Federation in 
     the Group of Eight (G-8) nations should be conditioned on the 
     Government of the Russian Federation respecting the 
     territorial integrity of its neighbors and accepting and 
     adhering to the norms and standards of free, democratic 
     societies as generally practiced by every other member nation 
     of the G-8 nations.'';
       Whereas, since 2014, the President of Russia, Vladimir 
     Putin, has continued to violate international law in 
     Ukraine's Crimea region and elsewhere, and has continued to 
     undermine democracy and human rights both at home and abroad; 
     and
       Whereas, on August 26, 2019, President Donald Trump, 
     announced his intention to invite the President of Russia to 
     next year's Group of Seven summit: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) reiterates its unwavering support for the sovereignty 
     and territorial integrity of Ukraine;
       (2) condemns Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine, 
     including the illegal occupation of Crimea and ongoing 
     destabilization of eastern Ukraine;
       (3) condemns the Kremlin's assaults on democratic societies 
     worldwide, including in the United States and other Group of 
     Seven countries;
       (4) reaffirms its full support for the suspension of Russia 
     from the Group of Eight;
       (5) calls on all leaders of the Group of Seven to oppose 
     the readmission of Russia unless and until it has ended its 
     occupation of all of Ukraine's sovereign territory, including 
     Crimea, and halts its attacks on democracies worldwide; and
       (6) disapproves of Russia's inclusion in future Group of 
     Seven summits until it respects the territorial integrity of 
     its neighbors and adheres to the standards of democratic 
     societies.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Sires) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires).


                             General Leave

  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 546.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Engel, Ranking Member McCaul, 
and members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee for their unanimous 
support for H. Res. 546 during its markup, and I urge my colleagues to 
support this resolution.
  In 2014, Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight as a direct 
result of its aggressive actions in Ukraine, including the invasion of 
the Crimea region. The remaining seven nations agreed that Russia's 
future inclusion would be conditioned on its respect of Ukraine's 
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
  Later in 2014, this international agreement was codified into U.S. 
law when the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and 
Economic Stability of Ukraine Act was signed into law by President 
Barack Obama.
  Within this legislation, introduced by my colleague from Kentucky, 
Congressman Hal Rogers, is a clause stating that continued Russian 
participation in the Group of Eight shall be conditioned on Russia 
respecting the territorial integrity of its neighbors and accepting and 
adhering to the norms and standards of free, democratic societies as 
generally practiced by every other member nation of the G-8.
  In the time since this legislation was signed into law, Russia has 
not changed course. Instead, it has increased its aggression in Ukraine 
and has undermined democracy in numerous nations. In response to 
Russia's continued flouting of international democratic standards, I 
introduced H. Res. 546 to reiterate longstanding bipartisan 
congressional sentiment that Russia's actions should have consequences 
on the international stage.
  If we allow Russia to participate in future G-7 summits without 
meeting the previously set conditions, we are signaling that Russia can 
continue to act with impunity and that the United

[[Page H9198]]

States will not stand firm in the face of Russian aggression.
  It is my hope that the House of Representatives can, once again, come 
together as we did in 2014 to condemn Russia's actions in Ukraine, 
reaffirm support for Russia's expulsion from the G-8, and stress that 
future participation must hinge on respecting the territorial integrity 
of other nations.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 546.
  I want to thank Mr. Sires for authoring this very important 
resolution, which reiterates that Russia should not be permitted to 
rejoin the Group of Eight summits until Putin's flagrant aggression 
radically changes.
  Since the Russian invasion in 2014, Ukraine has been embroiled in a 
battle for territorial sovereignty. For 6 years, Russia has illegally 
occupied the Crimean Peninsula and supported separatist fighting in the 
Donbas region of Ukraine.
  For over a decade, Russia has also illegally occupied the Abkhazia 
and South Ossetia regions of Georgia, which constitute 20 percent of 
Georgia's territory.
  Mr. Speaker, I visited Tbilisi within a week after Putin's invasion 
into South Ossetia when the thought was they might even go the rest of 
the way into Tbilisi, and I can say I saw firsthand the IDPs--the 
internally displaced persons--the refugees, the loss of life, and 
people who were wounded; and, again, it was all reminiscent of the bad 
old days of the Soviet Union now being replicated by Vladimir Putin.
  Putin has violated fundamental principles of international law, and 
he has done so with impunity. He has refused to respect the territorial 
integrity of its neighbors and denied the standards of democratic 
societies.
  These invasions and occupations have displaced thousands of ethnic 
Ukrainians and Georgians and resulted in severe human rights abuses 
against both populations. Moreover, Russia's meddling in the democratic 
elections of the United States and our allies throughout Europe have 
further demonstrated Putin's complete disrespect for the values and 
beliefs shared by other members of the Group of Seven.
  This resolution condemns Russia's occupation of Crimea and other 
destabilization efforts in eastern Ukraine, reaffirms U.S. support for 
Ukraine's territory and sovereignty, and admonishes Putin's assaults on 
democratic processes around the world.
  Most importantly, this legislation establishes that Russia should 
continue to be suspended from the Group of Seven until Putin adheres to 
the standards of democratic societies.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend and colleague from 
New Jersey for authoring this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield such time as he may consume 
to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), who is the 
ranking member.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 546.
  Under President Putin's leadership, Russia has invaded and occupied 
parts of Ukraine and Georgia, assassinated political opponents at home 
and abroad, and enabled the corrupt regimes of Assad in Syria and 
Maduro in Venezuela.
  Putin has also waged cyber warfare and disinformation campaigns 
against the United States and our allies, interfered in our elections, 
and spied off of our coasts with their submarine warfare capability.

  All of these actions go against the fundamental principles of the 
Group of Seven and threaten democracies around the world.
  As I have said many times over the years, Mr. Putin is not our 
friend. The United States and our allies cannot trust him to be a 
reliable partner as long as he continues to lead his country down a 
path of corruption, assassinations, and oppression.
  As stated in this resolution, Russia should not be readmitted to the 
Group of Seven until Putin respects the principles shared by the other 
members, relinquishes his choke hold over Crimea, and ceases his global 
attacks on democratic institutions. Maintaining the integrity of the 
Group of Seven is vital to the group's success, and Russia cannot be 
allowed to bully its way back in.
  I would like to thank Representative Sires for his hard work on this 
resolution, and my good friend, Representative Smith, for championing 
this resolution today. Under Putin's leadership, the world has become 
more deadly and more dangerous, and his people have fewer freedoms and 
greater poverty.
  In closing, we need to stand up to dictators like Mr. Putin. I do 
think this is not, again, a Republican or a Democrat issue. Standing up 
against a hostile enemy, Mr. Putin and the Russian Federation, is an 
American issue.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 
time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good, bipartisan measure. I thank my 
colleague, Mr. Shimkus, for supporting it and my good friend from New 
Jersey, Congressman Smith.
  Time and time again, Russia ignores the standards and norms of 
democratic societies and actively operates counter to American 
interests. If we do not stand firm against Russian aggression and allow 
them to participate in future G-7 summits, we will be rewarding Putin 
for his attacks on our country and our allies and that will damage our 
partnerships and alliances around the world.
  With this measure, Congress makes it clear that we do not support 
Russia's inclusion in the G-7 as he continues to attack us, our 
partners, and democratic institutions around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope all Members would join me in supporting its 
passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 546.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. SIRES. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________