Joe Wilson

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Spartz).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time, and I am very grateful that next we will have the Speaker of the House.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, in closing, this bill calls on the administration to supply the defense articles needed to defeat war criminal Putin's forces, and for the land of Ukraine to be returned to its rightful and lawful inhabitants, the courageous people of Ukraine. The Ukrainian fight is a fight of freedom-loving people around the world. This is part of authoritarianism, which is rule of gun opposing democracy, rule of law. America stands with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, with President Salome Zourabichvili of the Republic of Georgia, President Maia Sandu of Moldova, and with the rightful President, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, of Belarus. Additionally, as we are discussing Lend-Lease, I had the extraordinary opportunity with Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo in 2005, to visit, sadly, the world's largest open cemetery in Saint Petersburg, the victims, half a million people of the siege of Leningrad. And we were there to show the love and affection of the United States to the people of Russia. We were there to also find out that it was American Lend-Lease equipment that provided for the defeat of Hitler and for the saving, actually, of the Putin family. And so, Lend-Lease has a long proud history of providing for freedom successfully. In December, I visited the courageous Ukrainian patriots in Kyiv. I am confident Ukraine will win for freedom and independence. We are all inspired by the Ukrainian-American Congresswoman Victoria Spartz of Indiana, and over a million dynamic Ukrainian Americans who are successful across America. I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Washington welcomed President Salome Zourabichvili, of the Republic of Georgia, who had come to attend the funeral of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. During an interview with The Washington Post, President Zourabichvili explained that, along with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova were the two countries closest to Russia wanting to join NATO and the European Union, but not protected by either. ``Georgia should not be forgotten'' and if so, they might be a temptation for the Russian leadership. President Zourabichvili reviewed that Georgia also had a history of war with Russia, most recently in 2008, as well as 1991, shortly after declaring independence. It is reassuring, the President said, the Georgian population is 100 percent united in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Americans are also united for the independence of Georgia, Moldova, led by President Maia Sandu, and Ukraine. America supports the sovereignty of Georgia and will stand with President Zourabichvili for the freedom of Georgia. God bless Ukraine. God save Ukraine. Long live President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, as the civilized world has been unintentionally unified in opposition to Putin conducting mass murder in Ukraine, Putin has unwittingly unified Republicans and Democrats in America. A clear example is Republican support of an op-ed from the Democrat Washington Post by Josh Rogin ``West can't afford to neglect Moldova, because Putin won't'' being the lead Opinion April 24th in The State paper of Columbia, South Carolina: West Can't Afford As the United States and Europe continue to scramble to help Ukraine defend its territory, preserve its democracy and save its economy, they should keep in mind that Ukraine is not the only country in the region suffering due to Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression. Next door, the small country of Moldova is appealing to the West for urgent help and long-term partnership. If we turn away from Moldova, again, we will push it into Putin's arms. ``The Russian military aggression in Ukraine is making every single person in Europe feel less secure and is having a negative impact on every single person in Europe,'' Moldova's foreign minister, Nicu Popescu, told me in an interview last week in Washington. ``And of course, this impact is more negative on Moldova, because Moldova is right there.'' Popescu' s official title is Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, which should tell us something. The new government in Moldova, one of the region's poorest countries, is trying to break a longrunning pattern of political dysfunction, systemic corruption and malign influence coming from Moscow. The December 2020 landslide election of Moldova's first outright pro- Western president, the Harvard-educated former World Bank economist Maia Sandu, presents the best chance yet to move Moldova firmly into the Western camp. The Moldovan government has always tried to balance its relationships, for understandable reasons. Russia has 1,500 troops occupying the Moldovan breakaway territory of Transnistria and controls Moldova's energy supply. There is still a large pro-Russian constituency in Moldovan politics, business and society. But the invasion of Ukraine has changed everything in geopolitics, especially for Ukraine's neighbors who now see that ``neutrality'' does not protect a small country from being viciously attacked on Putin's whim. The Moldovan government has condemned the Russian invasion, even though Putin's retaliation could prove disastrous. ``Moldova is a neutral state, but neutrality only refers to us not participating in military action,'' Popescu told me. ``We're not neutral when it comes to condemning the aggression. We're not neutral when it comes to defending the principles of international law, which must be respected.'' The United States and European countries have been paying more attention to Moldova recently. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the capital, Chisinau, last month. The United States has given Moldova $130 million since the Ukraine war started to help with the hundreds of thousands of new refugees spilling over the border. But that's just a Band-Aid for Moldova's problems. ``We need to ensure socioeconomic stability. We are severely impacted by the war. We are Ukraine's most fragile neighbor,'' Popescu said. ``We've been coping reasonably well with the humanitarian crisis, the refugee situation and the energy crisis. We've been pursuing reforms. But, it's a difficult region.'' The question is whether the West's recent increased attention to Moldova will persist beyond the current crisis. Popescu's visit was framed as a new ``strategic dialogue'' with the United States, but a similar effort during the Obama administration withered away. There are several specific things the United States could do to cement its commitment to Moldova's long-term stability and success. The Justice Department could do more to go after Moldova's sanctioned oligarchs and their wealth, especially the ones living in the United States. U.S. organizations should double down on helping Moldova continue its reforms and root out corruption. And the United States can help Moldova diversify its energy supply, diluting Putin's leverage. And while Moldova isn't seeking military assistance, it has a huge and growing need for help fortifying and managing its borders, including the 863 miles it shares with Ukraine. That's perhaps the most urgent effort, because if Ukraine falls, Moldova could easily be Russia's next target. Would Putin actually invade Moldova and try to topple the prowestern government, as he is attempting to do next door? ``We don't know,'' Popescu told me. ``Our task is to be ready for everything.'' In conclusion, I am grateful for the committed service of Mr. Eugen Caras, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the United States of America and United Mexican States. We stand together to deter war criminal Putin with the courageous people of Ukraine led by President Zelenskyy who has adopted the spirit of the American Revolution ``Don't tread on me'', ``Live Free or Die.'' The unity of freedom-loving countries was reinforced by President Salome Zourabichvili of Georgia who I am grateful to meet with today. He has courageously cited that the people of Georgia are 100 percent united in ``solidarity with Ukraine.''

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. share of global semiconductor production has dropped from 37 percent in 1990 to 12 percent today, and it is projected to decline even further without a comprehensive U.S. strategy to support the industry. This bill is a small step in the right direction, but we must do more to ensure these vital supply chains for semiconductors. If we fail, the impacts to our economy and national security will be monumental. We are in a conflict of democracy with rule by law opposed by authoritarians of rule by gun. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Protecting Semiconductor Supply Chain Materials from Authoritarians Act. H.R. 7372 would set up a high-level interagency task force to make sure that we have a whole-of-government effort to anticipate and respond to the impacts on the supply chain for semiconductors. The semiconductor supply chain has long been under strain, which has only been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. On top of that, the war criminal Putin's invasion of Ukraine has only added to the problem. It has interrupted critical inputs into the semiconductor supply chain, such as palladium, neon gas, and helium. While it certainly is important to know the impacts on this critical supply chain caused by Russia's invasion, the United States must take a holistic approach and work with our allies and partners to strengthen the entire semiconductor supply chain and protect it from being dominated by the Chinese Communist Party. I am pleased that this bill also requires forward-looking assessments to understand the impact to the supply chain by a possible invasion of Taiwan, a courageous beacon of democracy in the East that manufactures 90 percent of advanced logic semiconductors. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. 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. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Sadly, on February 24, war criminal Putin launched an unprovoked, unjustified murderous war of aggression against the people of Ukraine. The humanitarian toll has been devastating. More than 5 million refugees have fled Ukraine. More than 7 million are believed to be internally displaced, and we have seen on our screens the heart- wrenching images of Putin's horrific war crimes in Bucha, Mariupol, and elsewhere. The economic toll for Ukraine is no less devastating. The World Bank has forecasted that Ukraine's economy could contract by 45 percent this year with a worst-case scenario seeing its GDP shrink by 75 percent. The Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said last week during a visit to Washington, that Ukraine would need around $5 billion a month in budgetary support as long as the war continued and then roughly $600 billion for a broader rebuilding effort. To rebuild this country, the Ukrainian Prime Minister requested not only additional financial support from the United States and its allies and partners, but also the transfer of Russian assets that have been frozen by the global sanctions regime to Ukraine. The U.S. must answer this call. The resolution we are considering urges the President to establish an interagency working group to determine the constitutional mechanisms through which the United States could not only freeze but seize the assets of Russian oligarchs within the United States if this property was derived through corruption linked to the Putin regime. The liquidated funds are to be repurposed for the benefit of the people of Ukraine, including post-conflict reconstruction when the Ukrainians win, humanitarian assistance, and assistance for the security forces of the Government of Ukraine. I was grateful to colead this legislation with our colleague, Tom Malinowski of New Jersey. Thanks to an amendment from our colleague, Peter Meijer, the bill also urges the administration to expand sanctions on members of the Russian Parliament, the duma, who voted in support of recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic, which are illegal fabrications. This vote served as part of Putin's pretext to Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against the people of Ukraine. Anyone who supported that vote must fall under U.S. sanctions--full stop. The administration needs to seriously consider how we can use the frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine fight and continue winning, then rebuild its country. Therefore, I urge all colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, rather than financing war crimes in Ukraine and multimillion-dollar yachts and real estate for Putin's cronies, this money could be much better spent on urgently needed humanitarian aid and weapons for Ukraine. This makes sense for the people of Ukraine as well as for the American taxpayer. I, therefore, urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to be here with Congressman Dean Phillips as we work together, unintentionally united by war criminal Putin, as Democrats and Republicans are united for freedom. Mr. Speaker, on December 28, 2018, U.S. citizen Paul Whelan was arrested in Moscow. On June 15, 2020, he was sentenced to 16 years in a Putin labor camp. He remains behind bars to this day for a crime he did not commit. No real evidence of Paul's guilt was ever provided, defense witnesses were excluded, and he was denied a fair trial. U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan described Paul's wrongful conviction exactly right--a mockery of justice. Paul is an American and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. The U.S. Congress cannot remain silent as Paul remains unjustly held by the thug in the Kremlin. The resolution we are considering today shows we have not forgotten-- and will never forget--Paul or any other American wrongfully detained in Russia. I was thrilled and relieved today to learn that Trevor Reed has been released from his unjust detention in Russia. Trevor, another former U.S. Marine, had spent years behind bars on completely fabricated charges. However, we cannot rest until Paul and every single wrongfully detained American is home safely with their families as well. As it launched its full-scale murderous invasion of Ukraine, the Putin regime has stepped up its reprehensible practice of targeting Americans for unfounded detentions. In February, Brittney Griner, a WNBA--that is the Women's National Basketball Association--player was arrested for allegedly bringing drugs into Russia. She faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted. I fear she too will be held hostage by the Russian dictator. I appreciate her Member of Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston, for being such an outspoken proponent for her release. I would be remiss not to mention Vladimir Kara-Murza too. He is one of the fiercest advocates of a democratic Russia, who has been poisoned twice by the Putin regime, and who faces up to 15 years in prison for speaking the truth about Putin's unprovoked war of aggression and murder in Ukraine. He is a brave freedom fighter who does not deserve to be locked up for shining a light on Putin's brutality and corruption. Putin must stop using innocent Americans as diplomatic pawns and release them immediately. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution so Paul and his family know that the U.S. Congress stands with them, Democrats and Republicans, and will do everything in our power to make sure Paul can join Trevor in coming back home. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill).

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Representative Haley Stevens for her work on this resolution. You can tell it is from the heart, and we are working together, again, Republicans and Democrats. How fortunate we are, with the leadership of Congressman Tim Walberg, to have spent the Orthodox Christian Easter weekend in Ukraine to visit with Lviv, to be in Kiev, to be in the Bucha region where the atrocities were so horrific, and to be on a delegation with Congresswoman Victoria Spartz, who was actually born in Soviet Ukraine, and now she has seen it become a free Ukraine. Our country is so blessed by the number of Ukrainians who have come to live in our country and then support their maintenance, victory, and winning for freedom in Ukraine. As the world watches in horror at the war crimes and atrocities that the war criminal Putin is committing in Ukraine, we must also condemn the Russian dictator's practice of exploiting innocent Americans as political pawns. I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this resolution. This will send a strong message to Paul and the other wrongfully detained Americans in Russia that Congress will not rest until they are returned home to their families. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shown the world he is a leader to be respected and admired. He has earned being a hero to the people of Ukraine, to win for freedom. Prior to his election in 2019, Mr. Zelenskyy was a former actor and comedian. Some questioned these credentials, but President Zelenskyy is the right leader at the right time for the world. The cowardly Putin invasion has left untold thousands of Ukrainian civilians murdered. Yet, instead of retreating, Zelenskyy has stood up to Putin as a compassionate man of the people. Just yesterday, he went to another Kyiv hospital visiting with a pair of orphaned children who lost their parents to Putin bombs. ``In the first days of the war, everybody was in shock, and everybody was thinking what to do. . . .'' ``The President's decision was that no one goes anywhere. We stay in Kyiv, and we fight. That cemented it,'' explained an adviser. Terrorists, sadly, are emboldened worldwide with three rocket attacks in the last week from Gaza into Israel, as America stands with Ambassador Michael Herzog. God bless Ukraine. God save Ukraine. God bless Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, we appreciate your million-dollar smile. Living legend Sean Hannity of FOX News is now officially the longest running prime-time cable news host in television history, passing the former record of Larry King. I especially appreciate his professionalism, having myself minored in journalism and being editor of my high school, college, and law school newspapers, and also being an intern reporter for The Post and Courier, the daily paper of Charleston, South Carolina. He is a champion for freedom, and he cites each day that has passed in honor of the 13 dead Americans in Kabul. He also points out, sadly, the Americans left behind in Afghanistan. He stands with the heroes of Ukraine fighting war criminal Putin as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inspires: Live free or die. As aptly written in an April 21 FOX News story by Brian Flood: ``Hannity, who has been with the network since it was launched in 1996, has hosted a prime-time program on FOX News for 25 consecutive years, 6 months, and 15 days. `` `Sean's authenticity and insightful commentary have created one of the most enduring connections with our audience, and it has been an honor to watch him over the years. A FOX News original, he has helped innovate the industry, and we are incredibly proud of his extraordinary success,' FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott said in a statement. ``Hannity's eponymous program has been one of the most-watched cable news programs on a regular basis. `Hannity' has finished number one in its time slot for 13 consecutive years among both total viewers and the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25 to 54 since launching as a solo hour in January 2009, according to Nielsen Media Research. `` `I am extremely grateful to FOX News Media and to our loyal, dedicated viewers, whom I am proud to serve every night,' Hannity said. ``Before landing a solo program, Hannity was one half of the popular `Hannity & Colmes' with the late Alan Colmes. ``Last year, Hannity joined `FOX & Friends' to discuss the network's 25th anniversary. `It was a bold innovation. Everybody laughed. Nobody thought it would be successful. Not only did we quickly become number one, but we have been able to maintain that number one position for a very long period of time,' Sean Hannity said. ``FOX News finished the first quarter of 2022 as basic cable's most- watched network, crushing CNN and MSNBC for the 81st straight quarter during a busy news cycle that included Russia's'' hideous ``invasion of Ukraine,'' sadly, ``the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and round-the- clock political news.'' ``Over the last 25 years, Hannity has interviewed newsmakers, including former President Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . . . and most recently, award-winning actor and director Sean Penn. Hannity is also the author of four New York Times bestselling books.'' Congratulations, Sean. Thank you for providing America with news we can trust by telling the truth. I have another personal interest. Our family really appreciates newscasters. My oldest son, Alan, the attorney general of South Carolina, married the leading newscaster of South Carolina, Jennifer Miskewicz, of WIS-TV. Because he married over his head, he was elected the youngest attorney general of the United States. As I conclude, as the co-chair of the French Caucus, I congratulate President Emmanuel Macron on his reelection. America appreciates our first ally with extraordinary representation by Ambassador Philippe Etienne. We stand together for the people of Ukraine and with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.