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Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. I want to thank my friend and colleague who has been such a leader of this bipartisan effort, Senator Graham, for the question and for his powerful and passionate remarks just now.

Very simply, the reason for this bipartisan initiative to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism is because of what the American people and the world have seen day after day after day, not only this assault on Ukraine, trying to deprive it of its freedom and independence, but also the mass atrocities that its soldiers have committed at the direction, potentially, of Vladimir Putin: holding women and children hostage when bombs are falling, tying people's hands behind their backs and shooting them in their heads, raping and torturing innocent civilians, making them the targets of warfare in a purposeful and direct way, in a reign of terror. Make Russia a state sponsor of terrorism in the same way that Iran and Syria and Cuba have been. Vladimir Putin should be part of that club.

It will give individuals who are victims rights of action. But equally important, it will impose additional support controls and sanctions and other kinds of measures and send the world a message that, literally, anybody who deals with Russia is dealing with a terrorist cabal, a terrorist organization that is beyond the pale, that is to be treated as a pariah and is a member of a club that no one should want to be a part of.

It costs nothing to give Russia this well-merited label. It also works very much in favor of not only Ukraine but American taxpayers and our NATO allies to have the Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act, a bipartisan initiative, that will enable not only seizure but also sale of Russian oligarch assets as a part of this package.

I am disappointed that it wasn't included, but I am very optimistic that we will move forward because people have seen on their TVs, day after day, the seizure of the superyachts. We have seen those pictures--the mansions, the jets, the fine art, other ill-gotten gains. They have bought these items with money they have stolen from the people of Russia and elsewhere around the world. Those ill-gotten gains are sometimes in bank accounts that can be seized, and they should be used for Ukraine's defense against this invasion and for reconstruction of Ukraine.

Their use should be humanitarian reconstruction efforts, as well as the ongoing fight. They are resources that Putin has, in effect, enabled his oligarchs to take in this kleptocracy known as the Russian regime. We should be cracking down on those beneficiaries of ill-gotten gains and enablers of Putin's cruel and kleptocratic regime.

Let's be clear. Once enacted, this measure would enable law enforcement agents from around the world to seize those oligarch assets and enable them to liquidate--that is to say, sell those assets--to be used immediately to provide more weapons for the brave Ukrainians who are fighting Russian aggression and to deliver humanitarian aid to displaced Ukrainians.

I have been to the border and seen those refugees coming from Ukraine--literally crossing the border, carrying their pets and stuffed animals, women and children--because the men are staying to fight--with just the clothes on their back. They need help. Those assets should be used to help them, as well as the men who are left behind to fight with a ferocity and bravery that is the awe of the world. Literally, our own military has said how deeply impressed they are with the fierceness and courage of Ukrainians who are pushing back not only from around Kyiv, but now in the Donbas, Lutsk, and Luhansk. Literally, they are winning victories.

But those victories are occurring because of aid we have provided. If we cease that aid, they will be deprived of the tools they need to win this war.

Yes, our objective should be Ukraine winning this war. We are not going to have troops on the ground. We are not going to be engaged through NATO. We are not going to be a party in the combat. But we can be the arsenal of Ukraine's democracy. We can step up and stand up for democracy.

My colleague has made the point very well that history teaches about bullies. They are stopped, or they will continue. That is a lesson throughout history, whether it is World War II or any of the other conflicts where aggression has been stymied and halted.

Vladimir Putin is a thug. He is a KGB operative. He understands only one thing: force--economic force, military force--and that force needs to be brought to bear before he moves against countries that are at risk.

What does it mean that Finland wants to join NATO? What does it mean that Sweden is talking about joining NATO? They see the threat. They need that protection. They know they can't do it alone. They know that Putin will pick them off if we do not stand together.

As Benjamin Franklin said at the time of our Revolution: We will hang together, or we will hang alone.

That has to be the mantra that we take to our allies and to the American people. One last point. We need to bring together this body and our Congress in the bipartisan way that the three of us are doing today. This issue is way above partisan politics in its importance to our future as a nation.

The American people understandably are focused on inflation, which is a serious challenge. They are fatigued and tired of COVID, which is not only irksome but threatening. Our job is to make them aware of the threat that is posed by Putin's Russia. It isn't the Russian people's Russia. They have no idea what is actually happening. They believe because they have been told that President Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, is actually a Nazi. That is what they have been told.

We visited Ukraine not long before the invasion. One of my colleagues in this bipartisan trip said to President Zelenskyy: Are you fearful about a Russian invasion?

This was January of this year.

He said: The Russian invasion began in 2014. The Russian invasion has been ongoing and has killed 14,000 of our people.

This latest threat of an assault on Ukraine is just another phase of the same war, and Ukrainian people have fought on behalf of democracy for these years. They have lost blood and lives and treasure, and we have an obligation to stand strong for our democracy at this moment. We have an opportunity and an obligation.

I am proud to stand with my colleagues in favor of using the proceeds of selling oligarchs' ill-begotten gains so that we can benefit the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom and their effort to reconstruct their country.

I would like to yield the floor back to my colleague, hopefully, having answered his question and pose a question to my colleague from Rhode Island.

Will the proceeds from the sale of these ill-gotten gains potentially benefit Ukraine in a way that will be meaningful and will help save American taxpayers' funds that are necessary to support the freedom of that country?

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