Bill Keating: “I thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, my friend, Gregory Meeks of New York, for yielding and for his…”

“I thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, my friend, Gregory Meeks of New York, for yielding and for his leadership on this issue. I also thank the ranking member, my friend and colleague, Michael McCaul of Texas, for his support and leadership. I also thank the longtime leader of this cause, Representative Chris Smith, for his support. I thank them both for their bipartisan support. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 124. Today marks just over 8 months since an openly fraudulent presidential election took place in Belarus. In that time, Belarusians have made it clear by marching in the street en masse, with a pronounced leadership of brave women, that they want and need democracy in Belarus. Despite the peaceful nature of these events, protestors have been beaten and arrested, and opposition leaders have either been forced out of the country, like Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya; or jailed, like Maria Kalesnikava. This resolution, inspired by the courage of those taking to the streets to defend democracy, makes it clear to the people of Belarus and to the international community that the United States House of Representatives has reviewed the facts and determined that the 2020 Belarus presidential election was neither free nor fair, and that Alyaksandr Lukashenka cannot and must not be recognized as Belarus's legitimate president.…”