Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I want to thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey for bringing this bill to the floor in a very timely fashion. Mr. Speaker, Congress is coming together today to support loan guarantee authority for Ukraine that will be instrumental in stabilizing its economy and showing Ukraine's people that the United States stands with them. I view this as a first step in what, hopefully, will be a series of actions to support the people of Ukraine, including IMF ratification authority. I also support, Mr. Speaker, President Obama's action this morning to impose sanctions again Russian and Crimean officials who are exacerbating the crisis and put in place visa restrictions. Mr. Speaker, I chaired the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe from 1985 to 1995. The final act says that borders cannot be changed other than by political means. The Russians need to comply with that admonition. I commend the administration's efforts to broker a diplomatic process that can resolve this dangerous situation in Ukraine. The steps taken today are integral to that effort. We will stand hopefully as one in this Congress on behalf of this bill. Russia has violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in its unlawful and unwarranted military occupation of Crimea and its threats against the government in Kiev. I do not purport to say this is a simple situation that we confront.…”