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Nine congressional Republicans voted against a resolution condemning the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russian forces. The measure overwhelmingly passed the House on Tuesday 390-9. No Democrats voted against the measure.
Thousands of children have been kidnapped since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Since that time, the Biden administration has sent weapons and other aid to Ukraine to help it fend off the invasion, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has said will not stop until Ukraine’s government is overthrown and the country is demilitarized.
The symbolic resolution against the abductions holds Russia responsible for the kidnappings and notes that they are illegal under international law. The measure also claims Russia is seeking to erase a generation of young Ukrainians and that the invasion has increased the chances of children being trafficked.
The nine Republicans to against the resolution are Rep. Andy Biggs (AZ); Eric Burlison (MO); Warren Davidson (OH); Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA); Clay Higgins (LA); Thomas Massie (KY); Matt Rosendale (MT); Chip Roy (TX); Tom Tiffany (WI).
Condemning the illegal abduction of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.
Whereas, on January 12, 1951, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (commonly known as the “Genocide Convention”), of which the Russian Federation is a signatory, came into effect;
Whereas, on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation renewed their illegal and unprovoked large-scale invasion of Ukraine;
Whereas, on March 9, 2022, Russian Forces attacked a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of 3 individuals and injuries to 17 other individuals;
Whereas, on March 22, 2022, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced that the Russian military had forcefully and illegally kidnapped 2,389 Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine;
Whereas, on June 2, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that 200,000 children are among the Ukrainians who have been forcefully resettled in Russia;
Whereas forcibly transferring children of one group to another group is a violation of Article II(e) of the Genocide Convention;
Whereas Maria Lvova-Belova, Children’s Rights Commissioner for the President of Russia, admitted to kidnapping Ukrainian children and facilitating forced adoptions to Russian families;
Whereas Ukrainian authorities have stated that a number of the kidnapped Ukrainian children have families who remain in Ukraine, but have been separated due to the renewed Russian invasion;
Whereas, on June 16, 2022, Russian authorities announced that children born in occupied Ukrainian territories after the February 24, 2022, invasion will be deemed Russian citizens;
Whereas, on June 22, 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner has verified at that at least 320 children have been killed since Russia’s renewed invasion began;
Whereas, on July 11, 2022, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres ordered an investigation into the deaths and injuries of Ukrainian children; and
Whereas, on July 13, 2022, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken issued a statement calling upon Russia to “immediately halt its systemic filtration operations in Ukraine”, which have caused the disappearance, detention, or forcible deportation of between 900,000 and 1,600,000 Ukrainians (approximately 260,000 of whom are children): Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) holds the Government of the Russian Federation, under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, responsible for the wrongful and illegal kidnapping of children from Ukraine and officially condemns these actions in the strongest terms;
(2) declares that the facilitation of illegal adoptions is contrary to Russia’s obligations under the Genocide Convention and amounts to genocide;
(3) claims that the Russian Federation is attempting to wipe out a generation of Ukrainian children, thereby crippling Ukraine’s ability to nurture the next generation of Ukrainian citizens and leaders and to rebuild their country after Russia’s unprovoked war, with the purpose of demolishing Ukraine’s unique language, culture, history, and identity; and
(4) asserts that the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has significantly increased the risks of children being exposed to human trafficking and exploitation, child labor, gender-based violence, hunger, injury, trauma, deprivation of education and shelter, and death.
