Congresswoman Kaptur Votes To Pass National Security Supplemental Aid Funding For Ukraine, Israel, Indo-Pacific, And Partners Around The Globe

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Kaptur Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus and a senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense released the following statement after she voted to pass National Security Supplemental Aid package including H.R. 8038 the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act, H.R. 8036 the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024, H.R. 8035 the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024, and H.R. 8034 the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024. Congresswoman Kaptur’s full statement as delivered on the House floor today can be found below, and a full video copy of her remarks can be found by clicking here.

“I thank the distinguished Ranking Member of the full Committee for yielding me the time and rise to support Liberty for Ukraine. Let us defeat the spiderweb of tyranny between Putin's regime, Iran, China, and North Korea. We see their evil and their weaponry. Ukraine does not ask us to fight for her, only to arm her valiant soldiers to push Russia back inside its own borders. Ukraine's soldiers have recaptured half its stolen territory, arm them to finish the job. For those who may naively think America can sit on the sidelines and seek isolation please know this old adage: “If you take no interest in foreign affairs, foreign affairs will find you.” Recall Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941, 83 years ago, the United States caught in a stupor of isolationism, closed its eyes as the rest of the world fell into deep conflict.

“There was no killing field on Earth, like Ukraine. Millions upon millions upon millions of innocent people have died at the hands of deadly dictators. Lenin, Stalin, and now Putin. If Putin is permitted to conquer Ukraine, he will not stop there. He's promised that. Support from the American people will ensure victory for Ukraine with the free world girding Liberty’s shield. Recall the ancient words of Ukraine's poet laureate Taras Shevchenko, who died almost two centuries ago in a ghastly prison, just like Alex Navalny died a few weeks ago in a ghastly Russian prison. Why? Because they believe in Liberty.

“‘The time is near when on Ukraine's plains, a shackled folk will burst its chains. Blessed be your children in these lands, by touch of your toil, hardened hands. Then shall our day of hope arrive. Ukrainian glory shall revive.' Today is that day. Support Liberty for Ukraine. Defeat Russian tyranny. Thank you, and I yield back.”

The comprehensive appropriations supplemental security package includes:

• $60.84 Billion to support Ukraine and assist our partners in Europe in defense against Russia.
  • $23.2 Billion of these funds will be directly used to replenish US weapons stockpiles and expand our domestic industrial base for future conflicts.
• $26.38 Billion to allow Israel to defend itself against Iran and enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
• $8.12 Billion to expand our efforts to counter growing Chinese influence across the Indo-Pacific region and bolster our partners in the region.

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