IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 786 

Condemning the chemical weapons attack on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian 

intelligence officer, and his daughter on March 4, 2018, and extending 

its sympathies to those affected by the attack, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 15, 2018 

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself, Mr. COLE, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. 

MEEKS, Mr. SIRES, and Mr. HOLDING) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the chemical weapons attack on Sergei Skripal, 

a former Russian intelligence officer, and his daughter 

on March 4, 2018, and extending its sympathies to those 

affected by the attack, and for other purposes. 

Whereas on March 4, 2018, former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were 

found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury, England, and 

a responding police officer, Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, was also hospitalized; 

Whereas on March 6, 2018, British counterterrorism police 

stated that they were investigating the incident and the 

Government of the United Kingdom stated it would consider strengthening sanctions if the Kremlin was found to 

have played a role; 


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•HRES 786 IH 

Whereas on March 7, 2018, police in the United Kingdom 

stated that a nerve agent was used to attack the Skripals 

and that they were treating the case as attempted murder; 

Whereas on March 12, 2018, the Prime Minister of the 

United Kingdom, Theresa May, publicly accused Russia 

of using a military grade nerve agent and warned of response, including suspension of high-level contacts, asset 

freezes, responses by the United Nations and the North 

Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and possible covert action pending an accounting of the attack from the 

Government of the Russian Federation; 

Whereas on March 13, 2018, Russia called the charge ‘‘nonsense’’ and rejected the ultimatum to account for the attack, warning of repercussions if Prime Minister May 

took punitive measures; 

Whereas on March 13, 2018, the President of the United 

States, Donald Trump, spoke with Prime Minister May 

and stated that ‘‘the United States stands in solidarity 

with its closest ally and is ready to provide any assistance 

the United Kingdom requests for its investigation’’ and 

that ‘‘the Government of the Russian Federation must 

provide unambiguous answers regarding how this chemical weapon, developed in Russia, came to be used in the 

United Kingdom’’; 

Whereas on March 14, 2018, Prime Minister May ordered 23 

Russian ‘‘undeclared intelligence agents’’ expelled from 

the United Kingdom; 

Whereas on March 14, 2018, United States Ambassador to 

the United Nations Nikki Haley stated before an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council 


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that ‘‘this is a defining moment . . . One member stands 

accused of using a chemical weapon on the sovereign soil 

of another. The credibility of this council will not survive 

if we fail to hold Russia to account’’; 

Whereas on March 14, 2018, President Trump stated that 

‘‘the United States shares the United Kingdom’s assessment that Russia is responsible for the reckless nerve 

agent attack on a British citizen and his daughter’’ and 

that ‘‘this latest action by Russia fits into a pattern of 

behavior in which Russia disregards the international 

rules-based order, undermines the sovereignty and security of countries worldwide, and attempts to subvert and 

discredit Western democratic institutions and processes’’; 

Whereas the United Kingdom maintains productive bilateral 

and multilateral ties with the United States, NATO allies, and the European Union; 

Whereas the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal and Nick 

Bailey is part of pattern of action through which Russia 

has shown a disdain for the sovereignty of other nations 

and the rules-based international order; 

Whereas Russia continues to attempt to interfere with and 

undermine democratic processes and institutions in the 

United Kingdom, the United States, and their allies 

around the globe; 

Whereas Russia provided no credible explanation for the 

events on March 4, 2018, and showed contempt for the 

gravity of the issue; 

Whereas Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin said 

he ‘‘couldn’t care less’’ if Russia interfered in the affairs 

of these countries; 


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Whereas in November 2006, Alexander Litvinenko was also 

assassinated in London from radioactive poisoning by two 

agents of the Federal Security Service of the Russian 

Federation (FSB); and 

Whereas Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin stated 

in 2010 ‘‘Traitors will kick the bucket. Trust me. These 

people betrayed their friends, their brothers in arms. 

Whatever they got in exchange for it, those thirty pieces 

of silver they were given, they will choke on them.’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That — 

2 (1) the House of Representatives condemns the 

3 attack on Sergei Skripal, a former Russian intel4 ligence officer, and his daughter Yulia on March 4, 

5 2018, and extends its sympathies to those affected 

6 by the attack; and 

7 (2) it is the sense of the House of Representa8 tives that— 

9 (A) the United Kingdom remains a vital 

10 partner to the United States and the North At11 lantic Treaty Organization (NATO); 

12 (B) Russian aggression across all domains 

13 should not be tolerated or accepted; 

14 (C) the United States stands in firm part15 nership with the United Kingdom in this and 

16 many other matters; 


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1 (D) the United States, its allies, and part2 ners must unite in confronting this threat and 

3 in holding Russia to account for its violation of 

4 international security and nonproliferation re5 gimes; 

6 (E) the United States would support addi7 tional measures, including the expulsion of Rus8 sian diplomats in response to acts of aggres9 sion; and 

10 (F) there should be consequences for any 

11 who use chemical or biological weapons in viola12 tion of international norms and agreements. 

Æ 


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