U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) this week led more than a dozen of her GOP colleagues in proposing legislation to establish a Ukrainian Humanitarian Aid Fund that would be subsidized by seized Russian assets.
“It is imperative that Russia pay the consequences for their invasion of Ukraine,” Rep. Bice said. “This legislation essentially acts as a Marshall Plan, where the funds seized from Russian assets will be used to aid Ukrainian refugees, help provide for Ukraine’s defense and humanitarian needs, and rebuild destroyed infrastructure.”
Rep. Bice sponsored the Make Russia Pay Act, H.R. 7083, which would set up the fund at the U.S. Treasury Department to receive seized Russian assets — physically in the United States or denominated in U.S. dollars — to be liquidated and transferred, according to a bill summary provided by the congresswoman’s staff.
Under H.R. 7083, the Treasury Department then would be authorized to disburse the funds directly to Ukraine, according to the summary, which notes that the fund also would provide assistance to the many European Union nations, like Poland, that have taken in millions of refugees fleeing Ukraine.
“The United States must take action against the Russian war machine and hold Putin and his oligarchs accountable,” said Rep. Bice. “I am grateful for the support of my colleagues on this important legislation.”
Among the 14 members who signed on as original cosponsors of the bill are U.S. Reps. Ron Estes (R-KS), Blake Moore (R-UT) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA).