Chair Cardin Speaks in Opposition to Effort to Target Support for Ukraine

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke on the Senate floor in opposition to Senator Rand Paul's Joint Resolution of Disapproval (JRD) on Ukraine loan forgiveness, which was rejected by a vote of 37 to 61.

WATCH THE CHAIR'S REMARKS HERE

The text of the Chair's remarks, as delivered, have been provided below.

Thank you, Mr. President, I rise in opposition to Senate Joint Resolution 117, the Motion to Proceed, and I rise as the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to relay to our colleagues why I'm against this resolution and how we got to this vote.

This body passed aid to Ukraine by a 79 to 18 bipartisan vote. It approved the necessary funding for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against Mr. Putin's aggression, Russia's aggression, and it allowed us, with our coalition partners, to be able to have a unified front against Russia's attempt to change borders by force. Now, that legislation included the authority to the president to forgive and cancel debt. That's what President Biden did under the authority given to him by a 79 to 18 vote in this body. The president executed that authority and, yes, the Senate has the opportunity by a resolution to override that.

But I would urge my colleagues to remember why we voted by a 79 to 18 vote on this floor to help Ukraine. Ukraine is the front line in our defense for democracy. No one believes that Russia would stop, if Ukraine were to fall, with just Ukraine. We know that Russia has its eyes on Moldova and Georgia. We know the Baltic countries are very much in the eye of Russia. Poland is concerned, and Europe is concerned. It's in our national security interest to make sure that Russia's aggression in Ukraine is stopped and Ukraine's sovereignty is protected.

Now, Russia is not alone in this. There is an alliance developing of autocratic states against our democratic systems of government. Russia is getting help from the People's Republic of China. They're getting direct help from North Korea. They're getting weapons from Iran. They are getting help from these autocratic partners. We are literally fighting for our democratic way of life.

It's not just Europe that is of concern. If Ukraine were to fall, it makes it much more likely that the People's Republic of China would think that they could take over Taiwan, and the West would just let them do that, and China could very well try to take that over by force. So, there's a lot at stake in here. Now Ukraine is footing the burden-it's their soldiers that are on the battlefield. They're devoting 100% of their ability to the war effort, and they're asking us to help make sure that their economy can perform.

This debt relief goes to maintain their economy, to maintain their energy and agricultural sectors, and it would unlock IMF International Monetary Funds to Ukraine without cost to the American taxpayer. This debt relief makes sense from so many different points to protect Ukraine's ability to keep its economy moving so they can pursue their defense of their nation, that we have an ally and friend that stops the aggression of Russia, and says no to the alliance that's being formed against democratic states.

It's a very small price for us to pay to maintain our democracy and to prevent the need for American soldiers fighting on foreign soil. I urge my colleagues to reject the resolution.

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