On the recordDecember 10, 2019
I think the record really needs to be set straight. The picture that is being painted here is that the Republicans or President Trump or both don't care about the fact that Russia is and has been trying to interfere in our elections and that, for some reason, our refusal to allow this specific act to move forward until it is fixed is evidence of that. In support of that, he said that there is no penalty on the Russians because of their actions. I will remind my colleagues that I am the chairman of the committee that has jurisdiction over economic sanctions. On this floor, last Congress, we had this very debate. I was making the case then that we needed a broad, strong sanctions law against Russia for its election interference and not only for its election interference but also for its invasion of Crimea and for its cyber security attacks on the United States. What happened then? We passed what I believe is probably the strongest, most extensive legislation putting into effect sanctions on Russia for election interference, for cyber security violations, for invasion of Crimea, and other malign conduct. Under that legislation, the administration has been active. I want to read you just a little--I think that President Trump has probably put more sanctions on the Russians than any other President in our history. The Treasury's Russia sanctions program is among the most active of the sanctions programs that the United States has.…





