WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKZO AM/FM) — On Friday, February 25, U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) issued the following statement after participating in a bipartisan Members-only briefing on the Russian invasion of Ukraine:
“Earlier this week the world watched in horror as Russia violently invaded Ukraine. Today, President Biden announced the US will implement increased sanctions against Russia. While I support every effort to impose severe sanctions against Russia immediately, the President failed to go as far as cutting the aggressor off from the SWIFT banking system, a crippling measure to crush the Russian economy, as well as implementing personal sanctions against Putin. Russia’s economy is heavily reliant on energy exports, the United States and its allies shouldn’t continue purchasing Russian energy which Putin is using to commit war crimes against Ukraine. The President must augment this disruption by reversing his harmful policies that have hurt American energy production and made us more reliant on countries like Russia.
As I said before, the time for diplomacy is over, and that was entirely Vladimir Putin’s decision when he chose to violate international law and invade Ukraine unprovoked. The US, NATO, and the UN must recommit our support for Ukraine’s independence by supplying defensive resources and slamming Russia with detrimental sanctions that will destroy the Kremlin and Putin’s cronies once and for all.”
Friday, February 25, Rep. Upton, ranking Republican on the House Energy Subcommittee, signed on to a number of legislative items that will bring consequences against Russia for the horrible violence they have committed against the people of Ukraine:
- H.R. 6748, the Midland Over Moscow Act
- H.R. 6748 requires the Biden Administration to develop an American energy strategy to counter Russia’s growing energy monopoly and strengthen US energy security. The bill also reduces barriers for American energy production and exportation of LNG.
- H.R. 6742, the Never Yielding European Territory Act
- H.R. 6742 establishes crippling sanctions against Russia as well as barring exports of semiconductor technology to the Russian Federation. It also designates Ukraine as a NATO Plus country to expedite the distribution of defensive military equipment to our ally.
- H.Res. to Condemn and Sanction Duma Members
- This resolution formally condemns members of the Russian Duma and Federation Council who voted to recognize the false independence of Donetsk and Luhansk and calls on President Biden to sanction these individuals.
Rep. Upton has travelled to Ukraine twice, once with GOP Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and again in 2015 as Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce leading a bipartisan delegation. On both occasions Rep. Upton went to Ukraine seeking out US support for defensive military equipment and to promote US energy LNG exports to our NATO allies to help offset the growing reliance on Russian LNG. Rep. Upton’s support for the people of Ukraine remains unwavering and is committed to holding Russia accountable for these heinous and violent crimes committed under Putin’s leadership.
ARTICLE FROM CAROLINE BANASZAK
