Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act introduced by our colleagues from Florida, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and Congressman Diaz-Balart. I also want to thank Congressman Malinowski for his leadership in bringing this to the floor right now.

I am also deeply concerned about Russia's continued support for the Socialist and criminal dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro and the threat that this relationship poses to the national security of the United States and the rest of the countries in the Western Hemisphere.

Russia has invested over $16 billion in Venezuela and has provided billions in military equipment to that murderous regime.

In December of last year Russia sent two nuclear-capable bombers to conduct joint exercises with the Venezuelan military. In January of this year, he sent mercenaries to help protect Maduro--this is Mr. Putin doing that. Just this last weekend, as Congressman Malinowski referred to, we saw a report of about 100 additional Russian troops landing in Venezuela.

Russia continues to finance the regime through billions of dollars in investments and is directly aiding the Maduro regime's efforts to bypass U.S. sanctions. There is also a great concern over the potential acquisition of a U.S.-based oil company, CITGO, which has refineries in Corpus Christi and Lake Charles by the Russian oil company, Rosneft, which has a collateral position of about half of its equity.

The bill requires that the State Department provide Congress with an assessment of the threat that the Russia-Venezuela relationship poses to U.S. national security and a strategy to combat that threat.

The bill also requires the specific assessment of the threat posed by a potential acquisition of the oil infrastructure I referred to, CITGO, by their debtor, Russian state oil company Rosneft.

Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I urge all of our colleagues to join us in standing against Russia's continued support for the Maduro regime and the threat it poses to U.S. national security.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would once again like to thank my colleagues for the three bipartisan bills on Venezuela that have been considered by this House today.

This is one issue where all Members of Congress, regardless of party or background, should stand together with the people of Venezuela and support interim President Guaido's efforts to bring free and fair elections to the country.

The criminal socialist dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro has driven Venezuela to ruin. He is clinging to power by repressing the people of Venezuela while surrounding himself with foreign forces from Cuba and Russia.

Millions of Venezuelans have fled the dangerous and deteriorating circumstances at home, as Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz mentioned about Weston. We also know about other places in west Miami where the Venezuelans, fortunately, are adding value to our economy now.

They have created burdens and instability far beyond Venezuela's border. The average Venezuelan has lost 20 kilos in the last 2 years. These people are starving to death under a repression that hasn't been seen since Ceausescu's Romania or Stalin's Russia.

Congress should support the administration's efforts to bring democracy and prosperity back to Venezuela, and these bills demonstrate our support for the values of freedom and liberty that the Venezuelan people desire and deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 1477, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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