[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 146 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 146

    Expressing strong support for the people of Moldova and for the 
   Moldovan Government in their demonstrated commitment to advancing 
democracy, strengthening civil society, and European integration in the 
      face of Russia's illegal and full-scale invasion of Ukraine.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 21, 2023

   Mr. Keating (for himself, Mr. Lawler, and Ms. Ross) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing strong support for the people of Moldova and for the 
   Moldovan Government in their demonstrated commitment to advancing 
democracy, strengthening civil society, and European integration in the 
      face of Russia's illegal and full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Whereas, over 30 years ago, the Republic of Moldova achieved independence and 
        has since demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing democracy, 
        strengthening civil society, furthering accession to the European Union, 
        and deepening cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        through the Partnership for Peace Program;
Whereas the United States has encouraged and continues to support the Republic 
        of Moldova's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and 
        movement toward democracy;
Whereas the United States Agency for International Development and United States 
        Government assistance programs have supported the Republic of Moldova's 
        democratic aspirations and economic growth since 1992;
Whereas a joint observation mission from the Organization for Security and Co-
        operation in Europe (OSCE) Office of Democratic Institutions and Human 
        Rights (ODIHR), OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), Parliamentary 
        Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), and European Parliament (EP) 
        determined the Moldovan parliamentary elections held on July 11, 2021, 
        were ``competitive and well run'' and offered suggestions for further 
        improvements;
Whereas the Party of Action and Solidarity, led by Maia Sandu, has pledged and 
        begun to implement an anticorruption campaign that includes reforms to 
        the judicial system, campaign finance, justice, and recovery of assets 
        misappropriated by Moldovan officials, and the simplification of the 
        regulatory framework for business;
Whereas, on June 23, 2022, the Republic of Moldova received European Union (EU) 
        candidate status, together with Ukraine, and has since worked toward 
        enacting the necessary structural reforms;
Whereas United States National Security Strategy adopted in October 2022 
        declares support for the European aspirations of Moldova and its 
        commitment to important institutional reforms;
Whereas the United States supports the promotion of local governance, rule of 
        law, and combating disinformation in Moldova;
Whereas Russia's brutal, illegal, and full-scale invasion of Ukraine has 
        directly threatened the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova 
        by destabilizing energy security and the economy in the country;
Whereas more than 8,000,000 refugees have fled Ukraine and, as of February 2023, 
        Moldova has processed over 760,000 cross-border movements from Ukraine 
        as a result of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine with more than 
        100,000 registering as refugees in Moldova;
Whereas Moldovans have valiantly opened their homes and provided resources to 
        Ukrainian refugees who have fled as a result of Russia's illegal 
        invasion;
Whereas the Russian Government is engaged in a coordinated disinformation 
        campaign to destabilize the current government and support pro-Russian 
        candidates, political parties, and other pro-Russian elements;
Whereas access to energy resources is vital for the success of the Moldovan 
        economy and for the prosperity of the Moldovan people;
Whereas Russia has weaponized their energy resources with regards to Moldova 
        repeatedly cutting natural gas supplies in order to create an energy 
        crisis in the country;
Whereas Russian military forces and equipment have remained in the Transnistrian 
        region of Moldova since Moldova declared independence in 1991;
Whereas Russian military forces in the Transnistrian region of Moldova represent 
        a direct threat to Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity;
Whereas it is the longstanding policy of the United States to not recognize 
        territorial changes that are the result of illegal uses of force;
Whereas the United States condemns the illegal presence of Russian military 
        forces in the Transnistrian region of Moldova;
Whereas, in February 2023, reports indicate a Russian missile fired at Ukraine 
        crossed over Moldovan sovereign territory, which Moldovan Foreign 
        Minister Nicu Popescu called ``the unacceptable violation of our 
        airspace'';
Whereas Moldovan Foreign Ministry spokesman called on Russia ``to stop the 
        military aggression against [Ukraine] which is causing numerous loss of 
        human lives and material destruction'';
Whereas Russia continues to threaten Moldova's sovereignty and territorial 
        integrity through its naval presence in the Black Sea and Russian-
        occupied Crimea, and through repeated firing of rockets over sovereign 
        Moldovan airspace as well as continued occupation of the Transnistrian 
        region of Moldova;
Whereas Russia's military activities in the region pose a direct threat to 
        Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as to 
        neighboring North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members Romania, 
        Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland;
Whereas the United States has contributed upward of $320,000,000 in emergency 
        support to Moldova since February 24, 2022, and the European Union has 
        recently pledged 250,000,000 Euros to help Moldova overcome the 
        economic, energy, security, and humanitarian impacts of the Kremlin's 
        war of aggression in Ukraine;
Whereas most recently Moldovan democracy is actively threatened by Russian 
        malign influence, including the recent uncovering of a plot by Russian 
        malign forces to use agents provocateurs to attack government buildings 
        under the guise of public protests in an effort to destabilize Moldova;
Whereas Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Russia's goal was to change ``the 
        legitimate power from Chisinau to an illegitimate one'';
Whereas antigovernment demonstrations last year were organized by the pro-
        Russian Shor Party which President Sandu characterized as ``attempts to 
        undermine the State'';
Whereas, in October 2022, the United States enacted economic sanctions on 
        malign, Russian-backed actors in Moldova including Ilan Shor, Vladimir 
        Plahotniuc, and 7 other individuals, as well as 12 entities who are 
        ``widely recognized for capturing and corrupting Moldova's political and 
        economic institutions and those acting as instruments of Russia's global 
        influence campaign''; and
Whereas in the face of Russia's illegal war in Ukraine, promotion of liberal, 
        democratic values is vital for the preservation, facilitation, and 
        success of democracy in Moldova: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) reaffirms the United States commitment to the Republic 
        of Moldova in the face of Russian malign influence and military 
        aggression;
            (2) lauds the strengthening of civil society, democracy, 
        and democratic institutions in Moldova and encourages the 
        people of Moldova and elected representatives to continue to 
        enhance their democracy, strengthen the rule of law, and fight 
        corruption;
            (3) welcomes the strong mandate given to proreform forces 
        by the Moldovan people during the July 2021 Parliamentary 
        elections and the November 2020 Presidential election;
            (4) expresses strong support for Moldova's goal of 
        integration with the Western, democratic community;
            (5) supports the Moldovan people's aspirations for 
        membership in the European Union and developing stronger 
        connections to the United States transatlantic partners;
            (6) urges the European Union to continue to promote 
        Moldova's accession processes to the European Union to ensure 
        Moldova's economic and national security;
            (7) supports the Moldovan people and Government in their 
        desire to rid the country of corruption and oligarchic control;
            (8) calls on the Biden administration to work with our 
        transatlantic allies and review further actions against any 
        individuals or groups working to undermine democracy in 
        Moldova;
            (9) condemns in the strongest possible terms Russian malign 
        activities in Moldova;
            (10) supports initiatives and productive cooperation within 
        the four working groups under the United States-Moldova 
        Strategic Dialogue as a mean to enhance ties between the two 
        countries;
            (11) finds that it is in the interest of the United States 
        and its allies to support democratic governance, energy 
        security, and economic growth in Moldova for the advancement of 
        European and global security and prosperity;
            (12) urges elected officials and policymakers in Moldova to 
        build upon the practices of free and fair elections to further 
        bolster legitimate and equitable election processes in the 
        nation;
            (13) calls for all personnel and equipment belonging to 
        Russian security or Armed Forces to be withdrawn from the 
        sovereign territory of Moldova; and
            (14) continues to support an Organization for Security and 
        Co-operation in Europe-led negotiation process a special status 
        for the Transnistrian region within a territorially whole and 
        sovereign Moldova within the internationally recognized 
        borders.
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