Rosen Calls for Revoking Russia’s “Most Favored Nation” Designation by World Trade Organization
VIEW VIDEO OF FULL SPEECH HERE
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) spoke on the Senate floor urging the United States to continue its efforts to support Ukraine and hold Vladimir Putin accountable for Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. In her remarks, Rosen called for immediately passing the nearly $14 billion Ukraine security assistance package, facilitating the transfer of fighter jets from European partners, and weakening Russia’s economy through energy and trade restrictions, particularly revoking its “Most Favored Nation” status at the World Trade Organization, which would allow the U.S. to raise tariffs on Russian goods.
A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Rosen has been a leader in opposing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. On Monday, Senator Rosen co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to ban all Russian energy imports to the United States. She is also a co-sponsor of the Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act and voted in favor of sanctions targeting Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline. In addition, Senator Rosen is a co-sponsor of a bipartisan Senate resolution supporting an independent and democratic Ukraine against Russian military aggression, which passed the Senate unanimously.
Watch Senator Rosen’s full remarks here.
Below are Senator Rosen’s floor remarks as delivered:
Mr. President,
For weeks, the United States and the world have witnessed the horrors that are unfolding in Ukraine — the result of Russia’s unprovoked and unjust attacks on a sovereign nation and its people.
Innocent men, women, and children have lost their lives. Homes have been destroyed, neighborhoods and businesses obliterated. Families and communities have been torn apart — some never to be reunited again.
Let’s be clear – the blame for this chaos and devastation falls directly on the shoulders of one tyrant, Vladimir Putin.
And no amount of hollow justifications, false equivocations, false flag operations, or outright propaganda will change that.
Putin, you are responsible.
Putin, you will not prevail. Justice is coming. Coming for you, and coming for your cronies.
And, as appalling as the stories and videos of Russia’s brutality have been, we’ve also seen incredible acts of heroism, kindness, and patriotism from Ukrainian leaders, the military, and everyday citizens.
The people of Ukraine, they’ve inspired the entire world with their resilience, their courage, and their determination to live in a free and democratic country.
This past week, I joined my colleagues in a call with President Zelenskyy, and I will say now what we said to him then – we are with you.
And the people from Nevada, we are with you, too.
From North to South, Nevadans have come together to voice their support for the Ukrainian people, and their opposition to Russia’s aggression and brutality.
Nevadans agree that we can’t sit idly by as Putin continues to terrorize the Ukrainian people.
The horrific images that the world has seen require action. We cannot sit idly and do nothing.
Here in Congress, we’re working to give Ukraine more security assistance, and hold Putin accountable by crippling Russia’s economy.
I call on every Senator in this body to vote yes on the omnibus package, which includes nearly $14 billion to aid Ukraine’s fight against Putin’s forces and to support the Ukrainian people.
This bipartisan legislation builds on the work that Congress, and the Administration, have been doing over the past several weeks to confront Vladimir Putin head on.
I applaud the Biden Administration for so forcefully bringing together an international coalition of partner nations, a coalition that stands behind Ukraine’s cause – the cause for freedom.
But we must do more.
We must do more to support Ukraine, to devastate Russia’s economy, and to stop Putin’s violent attacks.
President Zelenskyy made it clear in our call just this past weekend that Ukraine urgently needs fighter jets to defend itself.
Let’s heed his call and work closely together with our European partners who have these jets, to provide Ukraine with the aircraft they desperately need, and find ways to compensate or backfill our allies’ support.
We also must continue to strengthen the security of our NATO allies, and demonstrate that the transatlantic community remains united.
And we must do more to bring Putin’s war to an end, and make Putin himself feel the full consequences of his horrible actions. That means hitting Russia’s economy where they will feel it most – energy.
Just this week, I co-sponsored bipartisan legislation that would end all Russian energy imports to the United States.
I’m glad to see the Biden Administration responded to this call, and that the United States is now ending all Russian energy imports, which are funding Putin’s cruel and unprovoked war.
I am heartened to see the United Kingdom follow suit, and I call on all of our allies to do the same.
Another area where we can put pressure on Russia is through trade.
As chair of the Commerce Subcommittee that oversees trade policy, I strongly support legislation to strip Russia’s Most Favored Nation status at the World Trade Organization, and I am committed to pursuing additional actions that would severely weaken Russia’s economy, and drain Putin’s war fund.
Our efforts are not only about defending Ukraine and stopping Russia, though stop them we must. This is about defending democracy, and the fundamental right of a nation and its people to choose their own destiny.
America must make it clear that we will not stand idly by when an autocratic bully decides to invade another nation, without provocation and without justification.
The United States and our allies must leave no stone unturned to ensure that Vladimir Putin pays a steep price for his aggression against the people of Ukraine.
We must continue to serve as a shield of democracy and freedom for those in need.
On behalf of the Battle Born State of Nevada, I stand with Ukraine, and will continue fighting to make sure the United States stands proud and strong as a beacon of peace and security.
Thank you.
I yield back.
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