WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce issued the below statement condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and highlighted his past actions to hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his increasingly nefarious behavior on the world stage:

“May God be with the brave, innocent people of Ukraine. Nations across the globe must come together to hold Russia accountable for this unprovoked attack. Vladimir Putin cannot be allowed to desecrate the borders of a sovereign country and threaten the safety of its citizens without consequence.

“The United States can no longer project indecisiveness and weakness. I call on President Biden to immediately unleash severe and sweeping sanctions. There can be no hesitation from the White House – our enemies are watching.”

For years, Joyce has taken legislative action to condemn Russia for its increasingly nefarious behavior and hold Vladimir Putin accountable. In 2016, he voted for the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which prohibited FY2017 funds from being used for bilateral military-to-military cooperation between the governments of the United States and Russia until the Department of Defense (DoD) certifies to Congress that Russia has ceased its occupation of Ukrainian territory and its aggressive activities that threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

In 2017, Joyce voted for the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which expanded existing sanctions on Russia, targeted sectors of the Russian economy and Russian citizens involved in committing human rights abuses, selling weapons to Syria, and other nefarious activities detrimental to US national interests, and directed the U.S. Department of State to work with the government of Ukraine to increase Ukraine’s energy security.

In 2018, Joyce introduced a resolution condemning Russia’s ongoing illegal occupation of Crimea, and in 2020 he voted for the FY2021 government funding bill, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which provided $290 million for the Countering Russian Influence Fund.

In December of 2021, Joyce voted for the FY22 NDAA which authorized nearly $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, extended the DoD’s authority to fund training exercises with Eastern European nations intended to bolster their national security, and authorized a report on the existing nuclear capabilities of Russia as well as a report on military cooperation between Russia and China.

Most recently, on February 1, 2022, Joyce joined Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-15) in urging the President and Defense Secretary to approve the sale of 250 M1 Abrams tanks to Poland to help counter Russian aggression in the region. The sale of these tanks, which are manufactured in Ohio, was approved on February 18, 2022.

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