Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 496) to oppose violations of religious freedom in Ukraine by Russia and armed groups commanded by Russia, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 496, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 496, the Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act, and thank my committee colleague and friend, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), for introducing it.

As we speak here in this Chamber, Russian forces are ravaging Ukrainian cities and towns. They are committing unspeakable atrocities and war crimes against innocent civilians and continuing to wage an unprovoked and unjustified war. The world cannot and will not overlook or forget Russia's heinous acts of aggression, nor the war crimes and other human rights violations it is committing.

But, sadly, Russia's human rights violations against Ukrainian civilians and on sovereign Ukrainian territory started well before February of this year. Ever since Russia illegally attempted to annex Crimea and backed the separatists in the Donbas region, Russia and Russian-backed forces, as well as the so-called authorities in those regions, have demonstrated a complete disregard for human rights, including the rights of Ukrainians and others to practice their religions freely.

That is why H.R. 496 is so critically important. We must hold accountable those Russians and Russian-backed individuals responsible for committing severe violations of religious freedom on Ukrainian sovereign territory. Not only must we ensure that it is held accountable for the daily human rights violations that characterize its illegal war in Ukraine, but also for those committed long before this latest invasion.

Given that the U.S. may take actions, including by withdrawing development assistance, against countries who defy religious freedoms protected under U.S. Federal law, H.R. 496 directs the President to include Russia-controlled areas and groups when determining concern for religious freedoms and funding eligibility for Russia.

Mr. Speaker, I support this important legislation and thank the gentleman from South Carolina once again for introducing it. I urge all Members to vote in support, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, April 20, 2022.

Hon. Gregory Meeks,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of

Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Meeks: This letter is to advise you that the

Committee on the Judiciary has now had an opportunity to

review the provisions in H.R. 496, the ``Ukraine Religious

Freedom Support Act,'' that fall within our Rule X

jurisdiction. I appreciate your consulting with us on those

provisions. The Judiciary Committee has no objection to your

including them in the bill for consideration on the House

floor, and to expedite that consideration is willing to forgo

action on H.R. 496, with the understanding that we do not

thereby waive any future jurisdictional claim over those

provisions or their subject matters.

In the event a House-Senate conference on this or similar

legislation is convened, the Judiciary Committee reserves the

right to request an appropriate number of conferees to

address any concerns with these or similar provisions that

may arise in conference.

Please place this letter into the Congressional Record

during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank

you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked

regarding this matter and others between our committees.

Sincerely,

Jerrold Nadler,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for the purpose of closing.

I thank my friend and colleague from South Carolina. He is a gentleman and a champion of religious freedoms around the world. This is an example of what this institution, and we Americans can do together when we find common ground and set our minds to it in the face of such aggression and risk around the world.

Putin's flagrant violations of the basic human rights of Ukrainian civilians on Ukraine's sovereign territory are disturbing, and they are unacceptable. Freedom of religion is a moral imperative that the United States must continue to strive to defend as we support the people of Ukraine through these incredibly trying and horrific times.

This is personal to me. My own family fled Russian persecution during the pogroms of the late 19th century to come to this extraordinary country. Little could they have imagined that I would be standing here with you, my friend from South Carolina, talking about religious freedoms and doing everything we can as a country to preserve and protect those all around the world. That is what it means to be an American, not just here, but all around the world.

We must take action where we can, including by ensuring that the President considers all regions where Russian influence is determining future development funding for the Nation. I trust my colleagues will join me in supporting this terribly important bill to defend these freedoms all around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a bill that I am grateful to have introduced with the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver), my longtime friend and codel colleague, the Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act.

It is important that we first acknowledge the heinous escalation by the war criminal Putin, as he continues to wage a one-sided, full-scale war in sovereign, democratic Ukraine. Putin's war in Ukraine and illegal occupation of Crimea have dragged on for 8 years. The human toll is staggering.

Prior to the full-scale invasion, fighting in the Russian-occupied regions had already claimed over 13,000 Ukrainian lives, including thousands of innocent civilians. That is even before the current invasion.

Another casualty of Russian aggression in Ukraine has been the attack on religious freedom. Russian occupation authorities in Crimea continue to persecute and intimidate the minority Christian, Muslim, and other religious groups, like the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Putin's puppets in Crimea during the duration of their occupation subjected them to kidnappings, torture, forced psychiatric examinations, and imprisonment. Muslim Crimean Tatars have been sentenced to serve lengthy terms in Russian prisons on the entirely baseless charge of terrorism.

Minority religious groups in the area of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Putin proxies have also been forced to flee in order to escape the oppressive conditions. The religious persecution in Ukraine being committed at the hands of the Putin authorities is self-destructive and must be stopped.

Throughout American history, the United States has worked tirelessly to advance religious freedom and protect religious minorities around the globe. The bill follows that strong tradition by accomplishing the following:

One, making clear that it is the policy of the United States to never recognize the illegal attempted annexation of Crimea by Russia or the separation through the use of military force or recognition of independence of any portion of Ukrainian territory;

Second, it helps ensure that war criminal Putin and his cronies are held accountable by considering any official involved in carrying out severe violations of human rights in sovereign Ukrainian territory by applying the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Three, additionally, this legislation requires a determination of whether to designate Russia as a country of concern for religious freedom.

We cannot allow these grave violations to continue. It is vital that the United States continues to be a leader in advancing international religious freedom around the world.

This bill not only brings international attention to the religious persecution being committed in the territory of Ukraine that Putin illegally occupies or controls through illegal armed groups it commands, but also ensures that war criminal Putin and his thugs are held accountable.

Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, it is vital that the United States continue its tradition of advancing religious freedom and human rights around the world.

This bill brings accountability to the Putin regime for its crimes of oppressing religious minorities as it illegally occupies sovereign Ukrainian territory.

Additionally, it is so critical that the United States continue to send a clear message that it will never recognize Putin's illegal occupation of sovereign Ukrainian territory.

Mr. Speaker, as ranking member of the Helsinki Commission, I especially recognize our dear friend, the late Chairman Alcee Hastings for championing this issue and the Helsinki Commission for prioritizing human rights and holding war criminal Putin accountable for his continued violations of human rights and religious liberty in Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 496, the Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act, which will oppose religious freedom violations in Ukraine by Russia.

H.R. 496 the Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act directs the President, when determining whether Russia is a country of particular concern for religious freedom under certain federal laws, to consider incidents occurring in the parts of Ukraine controlled by Russia or Russia-affiliated non-state groups.

Ukraine is a religiously rich country with 74 percent of people identifying as Orthodox, 10 percent Greek Catholic and the remainder identifying as Roman Catholic, Jewish and Protestant.

Ukraine has accused Russia of targeting historic monuments and cultural heritage sites. Damaging and destroying at least 59 religious sites across the country since its invasion began.

H.R. 496 will direct the president to consider incidents in the Russian controlled parts of Ukraine found by Congress.

Ukrainian groups targeted by Russia include Muslim Crimean Tatars, the Orthodox Church, the Greek Catholic Church, Protestant Christians, and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Religious freedom violations against these groups consist of abductions, torture, imprisonment, property confiscation, vandalism, and banning of peaceful religious gatherings.

Russia is utilizing religious extremism to silence and arrest Ukrainians, including closing religious institutions that don't conform. Religious freedom violations have been key in Russia dismantling Ukrainian civil society.

Congress' findings state that international humanitarian law requires Russia to protect religious freedom in occupied territories. This includes illegal entities, such as Russia's illegal occupation of the Crimea Region.

In opposing violations of religious freedom, it is imperative that we consider the extreme religious injustices and restrictions Russia placed on the territories they have invaded in Ukraine.

Freedom to practice religion should be a protected right for every person, worldwide. This bill will ensure the President considers these severe violations in Ukraine by Russia when determinizing Russia's threat to religious freedom.

I urge all members to join me in voting for H.R. 496, the Ukraine Religious Support Act.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.