This resolution condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including the resulting loss of life, injury, and suffering of the children of Ukraine.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1443 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1443
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to condemn the
atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity being perpetrated
against Ukrainian children by the Government of Russia.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 21, 2022
Ms. Speier (for herself and Ms. Kaptur) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to condemn the
atrocities, war crimes, and crimes against humanity being perpetrated
against Ukrainian children by the Government of Russia.
Whereas, on February 24, 2022, Russia began a further military invasion of
Ukraine's sovereign territory, that in addition to causing tens of
thousands of Ukrainian civilian casualties has uniquely impacted the
safety, health, education, and human rights of Ukrainian children;
Whereas Russia's unprovoked invasion has caused over 7,200,000 refugees and
6,900,000 internally displaced migrants, approximately 90 percent of
whom are women and children, to flee the country as of September 13,
2022;
Whereas the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine found
that Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine including the rape, torture,
and unlawful confinement of children as young as 4;
Whereas at the height of the conflict nearly two-thirds of all Ukrainian
children were displaced either internally or internationally and 379
children have been killed in the conflict as of September 19, 2022;
Whereas during the bombardment of Mariupol on March 9, 2022, the Russian
military targeted and destroyed a hospital maternity ward, killing at
least 3 people, including one newborn, and wounding at least 17 others;
Whereas, on March 16, 2022, a Russian airstrike targeted a theater in Mariupol
that was being used as a civilian bomb shelter and which had the word
``CHILDREN'' written in large lettering visible on satellite images,
killing up to 600 civilians, including a large number of children who
had been sheltering inside;
Whereas Ukraine has accused Russian forces of using Ukrainian children as
``human shields'' while retreating from Bucha, Ukraine, and taking
children hostage in multiple conflict zones across the country in order
to prevent locals from cooperating with the Ukrainian military;
Whereas 16 children were among the hundreds of civilians killed by Russian
troops during Russia's occupation of Bucha;
Whereas, on May 2, 2022, a Russian missile strike on a dormitory in Odesa,
Ukraine, killed a 14-year-old boy and wounded a 17-year-old girl;
Whereas there have been multiple reports of Ukrainian parents writing the
contact information of extended family members in permanent marker on
the bodies of their small children so they may be united with family if
the parent is killed;
Whereas prior to Russia's further invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,
approximately 4,230,000 children had been enrolled in Ukrainian schools,
and the resulting conflict has caused a disruption in education for over
half of those students;
Whereas more than 2,400 education facilities have been damaged and more than 200
destroyed as of September 5, 2022;
Whereas Russian military forces have attacked numerous civilian buildings that
primarily serve women and children, including, as of May 10, 2022,
approximately 200 health care facilities and an average of 22 schools a
day since the beginning of the war;
Whereas attacks near or on schools is in direct opposition to United Nations
Security Council Resolution 2601 adopted in 2021, which condemns attacks
on schools and calls for all necessary safeguards to protect the right
to education;
Whereas more than 1 in 6 UNICEF-supported ``safe schools'' in eastern Ukraine,
which pledge to remain open and keep students and staff safe during
times of war, have been damaged or destroyed by Russian forces during
the conflict;
Whereas there is evidence of refugees fleeing the conflict being subject to
human-trafficking activities, which disproportionately target women,
children, those travelling alone, and undocumented people;
Whereas an April 2022 survey conducted by the International Rescue Committee at
Ukrainian refugee camps in Poland found that 28 percent of refugees felt
they were at risk of human trafficking and 19 percent said they had
already experienced some form of sexual abuse;
Whereas the Department of State asserts that more than 260,000 children have
been deported to Russia to be forcibly adopted by Russian families;
Whereas the mass deportation of people during conflict is classified as a war
crime under international law, and the forcible transfer of children out
of a group of people is classified as genocide under the 1948 Genocide
Convention;
Whereas, prior to February 24, Ukraine's orphanages, boarding schools, and other
similar institutions housed over 91,000 children, one of the largest
number of institutionalized children of any European country, over half
of whom are disabled, require specialized care, or are otherwise
vulnerable, and who now face heightened risk of trafficking, abuse, and
other exploitation as a result of Russia's invasion;
Whereas according to UNICEF, the conflict in Ukraine will have a significant
psychological impact on Ukrainian children, likely requiring intensive
psychological support;
Whereas children who experience war or conflict are at heightened risk of
developing anxiety disorders, depression, and long-term psychological
trauma, and that these risks can increase the longer a child is
displaced from his or her home, family members, school, friends, and/or
normal routine;
Whereas, as of May 6, 2022, UNICEF reported that 140,000 Ukrainian children and
their caregivers had sought mental health and psychosocial services; and
Whereas the United Nations Child Rights Committee has demanded that Russia
immediately cease its aggression and military actions and uphold its
obligations to protect children from physical and psychological violence
as enshrined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, its
peaceful neighbor, which has caused horrific loss of life,
injury, and suffering to the children of Ukraine;
(2) demands an investigation into atrocities, war crimes,
and crimes against humanity perpetrated against Ukrainian
civilians by Russian military forces and military contractors,
and particularly against children, that holds Russian
servicemembers, military contractors, and leaders responsible
for such actions; and
(3) urges the President of the United States--
(A) to take all available actions to mitigate the
physical and psychological harm being done to children
in Ukraine;
(B) to urge international parties to fully
investigate atrocities and war crimes committed by
Russia against children in Ukraine, including, but not
limited to, allegations of murder, torture, kidnapping,
and bombing of schools and other civilian areas where
children are present, in violation of international
law; and
(C) to use interagency partnerships and existing
authorities, including the Global Magnitsky Human
Rights Accountability Act, to impose further targeted
sanctions against individuals and entities responsible
for perpetrating crimes against children in Ukraine or
contributing to further harm against Ukrainian
children.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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