Over objections by the Trump Administration, the US House of Representatives is finally ready to vote the first week in June on Russian sanctions legislation to help Ukraine and punish Russia for its illegal aggression and ongoing war crimes against the people of Ukraine. Russia’s most recent brutal and barbaric attacks on innocent civilians and life-sustaining infrastructure should be all the House needs to approve this legislation by a strong, bipartisan, and even veto-proof vote.
Readers may think this vote is a consequence of Russian war criminal Vladimir Putin’s most recent attacks across Ukraine, but it is simply a welcomed coincidence. The sad reality is that President Donald J. Trump opposes any legislation that will help Ukraine and strengthen the US negotiating position in any peace discussions at the expense of Russia. Thanks, however, to the leadership of Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee – with the help of all his fellow House Democrats and a few principled Republicans – he is forcing the House to vote on his Ukraine Support Act.
Congressman Meeks is using a procedural device known as a discharge petition, which allows a majority of the House – 218 members – to force a vote on legislation that either languishes in a committee without hearings or a vote – or is opposed by the committee chair or House leadership. In this highly charged political environment, Meeks’ action is the only recourse to force a vote on legislation that Trump opposes.
Among other things, Congressman Meeks’ bipartisan bill imposes tougher sanctions on Russian individuals and entities, authorizes up to $8 billion in Foreign Military Financing loans for Ukraine, and reaffirms US support for both Ukraine and NATO. This vote deserves a strong, bipartisan vote in the House and then an equally strong, bipartisan vote in the Senate to send a message to US adversaries and allies alike.
Given the dual realities of war on the ground in Ukraine and Russia’s early intervention against the United States as a belligerent on the side of Iran in the Middle East war, this legislation is necessary but insufficient. Nevertheless, it is a critical first step to a potential series of votes of equally deserving legislation that also enjoys strong, bipartisan support.
For example, the next bill the House needs to consider is the bipartisan Preventing the Escalation of Armed Conflict in Europe Act (“PEACE Act”), which passed the House Financial Services Committee last July under the leadership of Chairman French Hill (R-AR) by the overwhelming vote of 53-1. This critical legislation includes targeted sanctions on the Russian energy sector, authorizes the Treasury Secretary to accelerate the seizure and transfer of frozen Russian sovereign assets here to Ukraine, and for the first time would authorize under current law the purchase of “defense articles” by Ukraine using the immobilized Russian funds.
This legislation should have been scheduled for a House floor vote under another expedited procedure known as the suspension calendar, which requires a 2/3 vote with no amendments and just 40 minutes of debate. This legislation could easily pass the House tomorrow, if only House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) would schedule it for a vote over White House objections and once again demonstrate the co-equal status of Congress to the President under the US Constitution.
Other pending legislation is also worthy of Congressional votes. For example, in the House Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) has introduced the Peace through Strength against Russia Act, which includes additional economic sanctions on Russia. It has the added advantage of being amendable before any final House vote.
Chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee has sponsored the Decreasing Russian Oil Profits Act (“DROP Act”), which does exactly what the title implies. He also has introduced a nonbinding resolution condemning Russia’s abduction of innocent Ukrainian children – another Putin-orchestrated war crime – before any final peace settlement.
In the Senate, two bipartisan bills have passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with strong, bipartisan support and await a Senate floor vote. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) should have scheduled these votes by now, but he won’t due to Trump’s unseemly resistance to do anything to help Ukraine that would jeopardize his inexplicable infatuation with Putin. The first is the REPO for Ukrainians Implementation Act, which also would accelerate Russian asset seizure and transfer to Ukraine and require new reporting and disclosure on the official status of those frozen funds. The second is the SHADOW Fleet Sanctions Act, which directly targets Russian oil exports and shipping.
Congress has the power to act now to help Ukraine and punish Russia when the Trump Administration will not.
The House of Representatives should vote to approve Congressman Meeks’ Ukraine Support Act and then get on with voting on other pending legislation needed to complement and complete his worthwhile initiative. The Senate should then follow the House’s lead. It’s the right thing to do morally, legally, and politically.
The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.