21st Century Peace Through Strength Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. HILL. Madam Chair, once again, dear friends, into the breach. We stand in the breach again for freedom. We stand in this historic Chamber with Washington on one side and Lafayette on the other.

In 2 years, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of this country, this freedom, this democracy, which would not have happened without money from the Netherlands, money from France, guns from France, a navy from France. Allies stood at the side of the birth of this Nation.

The birth of freedom was born here, so today, we come to this House floor to see that freedom is fought for here in this House.

Last week, Prime Minister Kishida of Japan stood on this floor and called this Nation the indispensable Nation--not to do it alone, not to stand in the breach alone, but to lead. Today, the United States will once again step up and lead.

Today, we will send the world the message: We stand with those who stand for freedom, and we hold to account those who are against freedom.

This bill supports our allies. This bill condemns our rivals and our enemies.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote for this bill.

Madam Chair,

America 250--in two years, this House will celebrate the 250th birthday of our Declaration of Independence.

As Americans, we are all versed in our Founding, our struggles in the American revolution. We recall the lack of food and pay for our troops, the misery of winter at Valley Forge.

What we must remember is that we did not win our independence alone.

From 1775 through 1781, the United States would not have seen victory at Yorktown ending the American Revolution were it not for allied nations making a bet on the grit and tenacity of Colonial Americans taking on the world's largest army and navy. France, the bankers in Amsterdam, and the Spanish opposed Britian backed Washington's struggling ragtime army.

80 percent of the muskets and uniforms worn by the Continental Army were supplied by France. French and Dutch loans, Spanish gunpowder, and the French Navy were all critical.

Without the help of these other nations, we would not have had the resources to win the Revolutionary War and become an independent Nation.

As Americans, we understand the sense of partnership that it takes when you are fighting for freedom.

In February, for the second time in six months I traveled to Ukraine to speak with President Zelenskyy and other U.S. officials in country on a bipartisan CODEL led by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner to deliver our message directly to Ukraine on behalf of the American people.

Along with dozens of allied Nations, the United States should continue to back the freedom fighting, freedom loving Ukrainians to ensure that Vladamir Putin knows that he's not going to stay in Ukraine.

Let me be clear--he will be denied that opportunity.

In polling, the American people make clear that they do not want Putin to be victorious in Ukraine.

It's bad for Europe, the sovereignty of Ukraine, and for the world.

The innocent people of Ukraine have been under unprovoked attack for over two years, their lives upended by the vengeance of a megalomaniac illegally invading and attempting to overthrow a sovereign neighbor.

This war commenced in 2014 in the Donbas and Crimea and exploded into a full invasion on February 24, 2022.

American military aid to Ukraine is running out and Ukrainians battling on the frontlines to defend their homeland are running out of ammunition and other crucial military supplies.

They are losing the ability to defend themselves and win this war that they have so valiantly fought for 24 months--and politically and emotionally for a painful decade.

To my colleagues in Congress, it is essential that we pass further aid to Ukraine.

Time is running out.

And when the war ends, and we hope Ukraine hails victory, Putin must bear the responsibility for the death and destruction he has caused in their sovereign Nation.

He must bear responsibility of paying for Ukraine's reconstruction.

In the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul and I have collaborated to add the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians (REPO) Act to seize Russian sovereign assets for the sole purpose of Ukraine's eventual reconstruction.

Similar legislation has successfully been passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Considering most Russian sovereign assets are located outside of the United States, it is critical that our allies around the world draft and pass companion legislation.

In January, European Union (EU) members unaiminously agreed to set aside frozen Russian central bank assets in Europe, taking the first step to benefit Ukraine and its reconstruction from Russia's destruction.

This is a strong signal from our European allies that we are one step closer to seeing crucial draft legislation.

Although the EU has taken a step in the right direction, their action needs to go further. Their eventual proposed draft legislation needs to encompass all Russian assets, not just liquid central bank accounts.

In the meantime, the United States and our allies need to continue to press Putin with further sanctions to deter his aggression.

We also need to ensure Ukraine remains an open economy.

Despite the damages caused by the war, over the past two years, Ukraine's economy is hanging in there.

Ukraine's battlefield victories in 2023, including pushing the Russian Navy off the Ukrainian coast of the Black Sea, reopening it to Ukrainian exports of grain, iron, and fertilizer.

Although Russia's invasion drove Ukraine's GDP down in 2022, their economy is reported to have grown by roughly 3 to 4 percent in 2023.

More economic recovery and more exports mean Ukraine is generating reprieve to support itself.

Given the nation's current state in the face of devastation and in the wake of Putin's madness, this is remarkable.

As Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain producers, it's key that they continue to maintain an open, thriving economy.

In sum, it's simple: we need to continue to support Ukraine with financial, military, and humanitarian assistance; hold Putin responsible for paying for the damages he has caused in this sovereign nation; and discourage him with further and more aggressive sanctions, including on all nations that fuel his terror.

For if Russia wins, it opens the door for other foreign adversaries like China to follow in their pursuit of taking over Taiwan, jumpstarting a global war.

If Russia wins, it threatens the 75 years of peace and prosperity in Europe, and risks dragging the United States into a war like we have never seen.

Ukraine will stop Russia dead in their tracks--if we see their struggle for freedom in the same way we fought for ours nearly 250 years ago.

Failure in Ukraine is not an option.

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Mr. HILL. Madam Chair, I thank Mr. Nunn and Chairman McCaul for their leadership.

Madam Chair, I stand in support of this amendment. We have to counter Iran's illicit use of funds any way we can to stop their reign of terror and their attack on our ally, Israel. The key to that is stopping their invasion of sanctions. These funds go directly to attacking our friends and partners, and Iran uses new and creative ways to do that.

This amendment from Congressman Nunn ensures that we are stopping funds at the source by instructing the Treasury Department to examine the source and benefactor of all Iranian assets over $5 million.

Madam Chair, I stand in support of this amendment, and I stand in support of the underlying bill.

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