Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman
December 8, 2022 | Press Releases
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s final business meeting of the year, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) was honored with a commemorative resolution in recognition of his many years of public service. After more than three decades of public service, including in both chambers of Congress, Portman will retire at the end of this year.
During the meeting, a number of Portman’s key legislative priorities were also passed favorably out of Committee:
Holodomor Resolution (S.Res.650)
Portman commended the Committee for passing his and Senator Tim Kaine’s resolution commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor, which was the Soviet Union’s manmade famine against the Ukrainian people from 1932 to 1933 which killed millions of innocent people.
“The Holodomor was a horrific crime committed by Joseph Stalin against the innocent people of Ukraine, and we must never forget this atrocity,” said Senator Portman. “And just as we look back and reflect on the 90th anniversary of this famine-genocide, Ukraine is again in crisis. Russia’s illegal and brutal assault has caused devastation to Ukraine’s agricultural sector, which many countries around the world rely on. I am pleased the Committee has passed this resolution commemorating the Holodomor, while once again condemning Russia’s unjustifiable actions.”
The resolution serves as a reminder of repressive Soviet policies against the people of Ukraine, and that Vladimir Putin’s illegal war against Ukraine has diminished Ukraine’s agricultural output, continuing to cause widespread destruction and strangling Ukraine’s ability to export much-needed wheat.
Ukraine Genocide Resolution (S.Res.713)
Senator Portman applauded the Committee’s passage of a resolution, of which he is an original cosponsor, recognizing Russian actions in Ukraine as genocide, which include forced deportations to Russia and the purposeful killing of Ukrainian civilians in mass atrocities, as constituting a genocide against the people of Ukraine.
“Since the beginning of Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine, Russian forces have demonstrated a clear pattern of targeting and killing Ukrainian civilians en masse, while also deliberately shelling schools, maternity wards, hospitals, homes, apartment buildings, and other civilian infrastructure. They are also committing heinous acts of sexual violence and forcibly deporting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia,” said Portman. “Combined with Russia’s consistent denial of the existence of Ukrainian nationhood and identity, these acts must be acknowledged for what they are – genocide – and it is important that the United States and the rest of the world recognize them as such.”
This resolution:
- Condemns Russia for committing acts of genocide against the people of Ukraine;
- Calls on the United States, along with NATO and EU allies, to support the government of Ukraine to prevent further acts of Russian genocide against the Ukrainian people; and
- Supports tribunals and international criminal investigations to hold Russian political leaders and military personnel accountable for a war of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
- Urges the president to use Global Magnitsky sanctions on those responsible or complicit in the Russian Federation’s genocide in Ukraine.
Black Sea Security Act of 2022 (S.4509)
Portman applauded the Committee passage of bipartisan legislation that he has cosponsored to direct the Biden administration to develop a strategy for the Black Sea region
“Especially in light on Russia’s ongoing brutal and unprovoked war against Ukraine, it is more critical than ever that the Biden administration develop a comprehensive strategy for the Black Sea region,” said Portman. “The United States must do what it can to increase cooperation and security with our many allies and partners in the region. Russia must know that any increased aggression in the region would be a grave mistake.”
The legislation:
- Calls for a more robust foreign policy toward the Black Sea region, including increased advocacy between U.S., NATO and EU and bolstering economic ties between the U.S. and the Black Sea region;
- Requires an interagency report from the administration to outline existing efforts to support democracy, security and economic prosperity in the Black Sea region, and ask for an outline of policy options for increased engagement;
- 360 days following passage of legislation, requires an interagency strategy to increase military assistance and coordination with NATO and the EU, deepen economic ties, strengthen democracy and economic security and enhance security assistance with Black Sea countries.
###