A resolution condemning the Russian Federation's kidnapping of Ukrainian children.

III 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 128 Condemning the Russian Federation’s kidnapping of Ukrainian children. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 28, 2023 Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. GRAHAM) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Condemning the Russian Federation’s kidnapping of Ukrainian children. Whereas, on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation in- vaded the sovereign State of Ukraine in violation of inter- national law; Whereas Russian troops have since committed horrendous atrocities and human rights violations; Whereas, as of March 2023, research indicates that agents of the Government of the Russian Federation have kid- napped and removed at least 6,000 innocent children from their homes in Ukraine, and have likely kidnapped tens of thousands more Ukrainian children; Whereas United States officials have indicated that more than 1,800 children were taken from Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine to Russia during July 2022; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:53 Mar 29, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR128.IS SR128 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •SRES 128 IS Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation con- tinues to provide false information about these children to parents and international nongovernmental organiza- tions and human rights observers, including claiming the children have no parents or family; Whereas Russian authorities have loosened adoption laws to allow Russian families to more easily take custody of kid- napped Ukrainian children; Whereas Russian authorities provide additional funds to Rus- sian families housing kidnapped Ukrainian children and force kidnapped Ukrainian children to become Russian citizens; Whereas this practice is in direct contradiction to any stand- ard of reasonableness and civility; Whereas this practice is associated with dictators who pose a threat to humanity, world peace, and human rights; Whereas the International Criminal Court— (1) has opened war crimes cases over the abductions and re-education of Ukrainian children; and (2) has issued an arrest warrant for President Vladi- mir Putin; and Whereas children worldwide should be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty, and exploitation: Now, there- fore, be it Resolved, That Congress— 1 (1) condemns, in the strongest possible terms, 2 the Russian Federation’s abduction of innocent chil- 3 dren from their families in Ukraine and the reloca- 4 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:53 Mar 29, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR128.IS SR128 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •SRES 128 IS tion of such children to re-education camps, where 1 they are indoctrinated, abused, and exploited; 2 (2) rebukes every other nation that provides aid 3 and support to the Russian Federation’s kidnapping 4 enterprise; 5 (3) condemns forced adoptions of Ukrainian 6 children by Russian citizens contrary to inter- 7 national intercountry adoption norms and the Con- 8 vention on the Civil Aspects of International Child 9 Abduction, done at The Hague, October 25, 1980 10 (TIAS 11670); and 11 (4) implores the Russian Federation to work 12 with international human rights and children welfare 13 organizations to ensure the return of Ukrainian chil- 14 dren to their home country at the earliest available 15 opportunity. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:53 Mar 29, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR128.IS SR128 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB