21st Century Peace Through Strength Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Chair, I thank my friend and Mr. McCaul for their leadership.

Madam Chair, today, with the vote on Ukraine security aid, we rededicate ourselves to who we are. We meet today under the white dome above us, a universal symbol of freedom and freedom-loving people everywhere.

Today, we cannot disappoint those who seek what we have, freedom--the freedom to self-determine, the freedom to decide their sovereignty, their alliances, and their form of government.

America has always stood for that. Will we retreat from that today? Do we understand the choices in front of us? They are clear. Some say that we have to deal with our border first. The Ukrainian-Russian border is our border. It is the border between depraved autocracy and freedom-loving people seeking our democratic way of life.

Do we have a stake in that outcome? Yes. Undeniably, yes.

Will we rise to the occasion? Will we stand shoulder to shoulder with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters who, for 1,151 days, have been holding off the depraved, thuggish dictator of Vladimir Putin, who has respected no norms of warfare? He has targeted children, hospitals, and schools. He has bombed apartment blocks, killing thousands. He has an advantage right now, because of our dithering, of 10-1 in terms of artillery shells, yet our brave Ukrainian brothers and sisters continue to fight.

We must meet this test today. We must stand with Ukraine.

``Slava Ukraini.'' ``Glory to Ukraine.''

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