Sydney Kamlager-Dove

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As we consider this amendment today, Ukrainians are suffering greatly as Russia's brutal war against their sovereignty continues unabated. Seventy-eight percent of Ukrainians have had either a family member or a friend die because of Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Cities have been decimated, families have been broken, and lives have been lost. But the Zelenskyy government stands, the fight for democracy is alive, and Ukrainian willpower is and has been unflappable, and Putin's so-called ``special military operation'' has become one of the biggest strategic catastrophes in Russian history as we stand today. Russian generals are disappearing, and the Wagner group was marching on Moscow, not Kyiv, just a few weeks ago. The United States' security assistance has been absolutely essential for the Ukrainian Army's heroic stand against the invaders of their homeland. We cannot and must not pull back now. The cost of this war on the Ukrainian people has been immense, but their bravery has been even more monumental. I urge all Members to oppose this amendment, and I am confident that it will, in fact, be opposed in a strong bipartisan vote. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I request an Advil, and I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, do I have any more time remaining?

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to this amendment.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is consistent with certain members of the Republican Party's continued opposition to aiding Ukraine. Our security assistance to Ukraine over the past year plus has been crucial to Ukrainian efforts to counter Russia's illegal, immoral, and reprehensible invasion of another sovereign nation. If Vladimir Putin and our foreign adversaries can invade other countries without any response from the United States or our allies around the globe, then every country in the world becomes less safe. The United States is not fighting a war in Ukraine. We are giving Ukrainians the weapons they need to fight the war for themselves and defend their country from totalitarian invaders. We must support our friends who are standing on the front lines of the fight for freedom in this world. I oppose this amendment forcefully, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington State (Mr. Smith).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Madam Chair, in Ukraine, since day one of this war, attacks have been aimed at civilian structures, hospitals, energy infrastructure, and urban centers. In the battlefield, Russia has brutally murdered prisoners of war as their Wagnerites occupied Ukraine's towns and territory. Allied military sources say that Russia has landmined Ukrainian territory at an unprecedented rate, making it one of the largest minefields in the world. These minefields in war zones and in agricultural areas will likely cause civilian death and require billions of dollars to safely remove in the coming years. The World Bank estimated the cost to be at $37.6 billion. Ukraine is paying for their freedom with their lives as we speak, but the mental, emotional, familial, and social scars will be there for generations to come. Ukrainian citizens are living through a nightmare because of their push toward democracy during the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. This amendment prohibits a feasibility study on centers for treatment of traumatic brain injuries to improve the lives of individuals affected by traumatic brain injury experienced in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression and to improve the lives of the family members of such an individual. Honestly, we should be funding centers across the world because that is a better expression of democracy than what is often exhibited. This amendment is callous, and America and our partners' support of Ukraine's fight for freedom is better than that. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to the amendment.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment. I could support it but for the limitation clause, which is meant to cut support for Ukraine. Like all of these amendments, this is meant to undermine our support for Ukraine. I simply oppose it and urge all of my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, sometimes the devil is in the reading. The amendment sounds good, but at the end of the day, it cuts support. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment, which would eliminate the important extension of lend-lease authority for Ukraine included in the underlying bill. As Ukraine continues its counteroffensive against Russia's brutal, unprovoked war of aggression, we must continue doing everything we can with our allies and partners in support; not just for the future of Ukraine and its people, but for democracies and free people across the world opposing brutal autocrats like Putin. The lend-lease authority this bill extends is one of the many tools the administration has at its disposal to support Ukraine in its courageous efforts with critical weapons and defense capabilities. This authority is one which has bipartisan support, not just in committee by virtue of the extension being included in the bill, but by way of bicameral, bipartisan passage in strong support roughly 10 months ago. It was a Republican bill led by Senator John Cornyn, S. 3522, which provided for lend-lease authority for Ukraine that passed by an overwhelming bipartisan margin, 417-10 in favor, including nearly 200 Republicans. I call on Members to recognize the importance of ensuring Ukraine has the tools and capabilities it needs to defend itself, defeat Russia, and preserve its independence and sovereignty. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith).

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE

Ms. KAMLAGER-DOVE. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition to this amendment.