Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024
Floor Speech
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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.
This provides Ukraine with desperately needed aid and munitions to fight back against tyranny, against Putin's tyranny. Vladimir Putin's greed, aggression, and unyielding pursuit of power, has led to grievous loss of life and humanitarian devastation.
The cruelty against innocent civilians at the hands of Putin and his cronies is devastating, and we know very well that Russia's invasion is not only a threat to Ukraine's physical security, but it is also a threat to the very core of Ukrainian and global democracy.
Putin is betting that he can outlast the will and the determination of Ukraine, the United States, and other Western allies. Some in this body seem inclined to prove him right. We must prove him definitively wrong.
It is completely misguided. It is an affront to our Nation's history and our heritage to suggest that we would be putting America first by retreating from the world stage.
We put America first by demonstrating the power of American leadership, that we have the strength and the resolve and the heart to fight for the most vulnerable people, protect their freedom, and preserve their dignity.
This bill will provide $14 billion for the training, equipment, weapons, logistics support, intelligence, and other supplies and resources to support Ukraine's military. It will provide nearly the same amount for us, the United States, to replenish our own equipment stocks.
It also provides $9.5 billion in forgivable loans to support the Ukrainian economy, and $20.5 billion for the U.S. Armed Forces to assist in Ukraine with mission support, intelligence support, pay, equipment, and other resources.
If Ukraine does not receive this support which it requires and needs to defeat Russia's outrageous assault on its sovereign territory, the legacy of this Congress will be the appeasement of a dictator, destruction of an allied nation, and a fractured Europe; gone will be the post-war order that has kept Europe free and prosperous; gone will be our credibility in the eyes of our allies and our adversaries; and gone will be the America that promised to stand up for freedom, democracy, and human rights, wherever they are threatened or wherever they are under attack.
Our allies are facing existential threats, and our friends and foes around the world are watching and waiting to see how America will respond. Vladimir Putin is watching. Our allies in NATO and across Europe are watching. What course will America take? We must stop Putin in his tracks right now. The world must see our resolve. We need to support Ukraine.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries), the distinguished Democratic leader.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the ranking member of the Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, who has been indefatigable and courageous in her struggle to support the Ukrainian people.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), the ranking member of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member of the Defense Subcommittee.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), the ranking member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee and co-chair of the Ukraine Caucus.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Chairman, this needs to be a proud moment for all of us. This country, this great United States of America has always led, has always taken the high ground and the moral responsibility to do the right thing, to support a nation which has only asked us to help them maintain their sovereignty, maintain democracy, and let them ally with us in the United States.
The Speaker of this House has come out in support of aid to Ukraine. He said: History judges us for what we do. This is a critical time on the world stage.
The Speaker continued: ``I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys.''
We need to send military equipment, arms, what Ukraine needs to defeat an aggressor who is responsible for the death of millions of civilians. We have a moment today to say ``no'' to tyranny. We have a moment to take back the moral high ground for the United States and say that we do not walk away from an ally; we do not walk away from freedom; we do not walk away from human rights; we do not walk away from democracy. That is not the United States of America.
Winston Churchill once said: ``Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.''
We know of no nation today who has had the courage to continue as Ukraine has, and the United States needs to have the courage to stand up and to help them continue when it counts and defeat a tyrant and autocrat whose relish for power knows no bounds.
It is our moral responsibility. Today, we need to stand with Ukraine. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this amendment.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, this war is an existential conflict for Ukraine. As important, it is a test for the United States and the United States leadership.
One of the best tools we have to get the Ukrainians what they need is Presidential drawdown authority. This allows the United States to send equipment from our stocks to the frontline in a matter of days. There isn't time to delay. This amendment would cut that authority from $7.8 billion to $100 million. It ties our hands and, yes, it hamstrings the Ukrainian military to do the job that they need to do to defeat Putin.
We all lose if Ukraine succumbs to Putin's ambitions, and it will not stop there. Putin, in 2016, asserted that Russia's borders do not end-- and this is a quote--do not end anywhere. Russian officials just this spring have threatened Finland, Romania, Armenia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Moldova.
Removing the best tool that the United States has to exercise, in terms of a moral clarity and responsibility, that we can move quickly to arm our allies would be a grave mistake.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to please vote ``no'' on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, in a post-World War II construct, the United States is the witness to the world on the values of democracy and freedom. These values have provided the United States of America with strong allies across the globe. It has helped our partners in Europe and NATO to support Ukraine against Vladimir Putin's unjust war. If we do not provide munitions, Ukraine will fall and Putin will be emboldened.
The Greene amendment allows Putin to control Europe. Abdicating our leadership role and promises to our allies cannot happen. We must support Ukraine's defense.
The world prior to World War II was unstable with authoritarian fascist leaders seeking power. Voting ``no'' on this amendment will ensure that history does not, in fact, repeat itself, and I urge all my colleagues to do so.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member of the Defense Subcommittee.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith), the ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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