Commending the International Criminal Court's issuance of an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, for two war crimes related to the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

Subjects: International Affairs


<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 304 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 304

  Commending the International Criminal Court's issuance of an arrest 
 warrant for Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and 
Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of 
the President of the Russian Federation, for two war crimes related to 
 the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of 
                   Ukraine to the Russian Federation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 18, 2023

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Commending the International Criminal Court's issuance of an arrest 
 warrant for Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and 
Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of 
the President of the Russian Federation, for two war crimes related to 
 the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of 
                   Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

Whereas, on March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest 
        warrants for Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and 
        Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of 
        the President of the Russian Federation, for committing two war crimes 
        related to the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children to the Russian 
        Federation, stating that the Court believes that ``each suspect bears 
        responsibility'' for these war crimes;
Whereas, on February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation at the direction of 
        Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine;
Whereas, in November 2022, Amnesty International published a report which 
        documented the forcible deportation of Ukrainian civilians, including 
        children, by Russian forces and their proxies into Russia;
Whereas the Russian Federation has amended its domestic legislation to enable 
        the swift placement and adoption of these forcibly deported children 
        with Russian foster families while issuing said children Russian 
        citizenship;
Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) issued a report on March 
        16, 2023, which found that the Russian Federation has committed war 
        crimes, including forcibly deporting children from occupied territories 
        in Ukraine to the Russian Federation, since February 24, 2022;
Whereas the March 2023 UNHRC report stated that ``International humanitarian law 
        prohibits the evacuation of children by a party to the armed conflict, 
        with the exception of a temporary evacuation . . . [for] reasons 
        relating to the health or medical treatment . . . The written consent of 
        parents or legal guardians is required . . . The transfers were not 
        justified by safety or medical reasons'';
Whereas the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab found that 
        Russian adoption facilities are engaging in systematic ``re-education'' 
        efforts that expose children from Ukraine to Russia-centric academic, 
        cultural, patriotic, and military education, and multiple facilities are 
        advertised as ``integration programs'' with the apparent goal of 
        integrating children from Ukraine into the Russian Government's vision 
        of national culture, history, and society;
Whereas the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab also 
        verified that thousands of Ukrainian children, some only toddlers, have 
        been victims of this forcible deportation to Russia and that many of 
        these children are being held in 43 camps across Russian Federation 
        territory, including two camps in Siberia;
Whereas the 117th Congress passed legislation directing the United States to 
        assist with ``investigations and prosecutions of foreign nationals 
        related to the situation in Ukraine, including to support victims and 
        witnesses''; and
Whereas President Zelenskyy of Ukraine has thanked the ICC for its ``historic'' 
        decision to issue arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-
        Belova, stating that ``in the criminal proceeding being investigated by 
        [Ukraine's] law enforcement officers, more than 16,000 forced 
        deportations of Ukrainian children by the occupier have already been 
        recorded. But the real, full number of deportees may be much higher'': 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) denounces the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion 
        of Ukraine and calls on the Russian Federation to immediately 
        withdraw all forces from the internationally recognized 
        territory of Ukraine;
            (2) stands outraged by actions taken by Russian Armed 
        Forces, Government, and their proxies to remove Ukrainian 
        children from their homes and forcibly integrate them into 
        Russian society;
            (3) condemns the ongoing, unlawful, and systematic 
        deportation, forcible transfer, and ``re-education'' of 
        Ukrainian children from occupied territories of Ukraine to the 
        Russian Federation and within occupied territories of Ukraine 
        under the direction of Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova;
            (4) recognizes the devastating psychological, 
        intergenerational harm and trauma caused to Ukrainian parents, 
        families, and communities by the forcible removal of their 
        children and to the Ukrainian children separated from their 
        families and communities;
            (5) supports the decision of the International Criminal 
        Court to issue arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin, President of 
        the Russian Federation, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner 
        for Children's Rights in the Office of the President of the 
        Russian Federation, for committing war crimes related to the 
        unlawful deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine 
        to the Russian Federation and within occupied territories of 
        Ukraine;
            (6) calls for the Russian Federation to immediately reveal 
        any existing records of the deportation of children and 
        adoption of deported children to Ukrainian authorities;
            (7) calls for the Russian Federation to immediately return 
        all deported Ukrainian children back to their homes in Ukraine 
        so they can be reunited with their families and communities;
            (8) condemns the Russian Federation for all atrocity crimes 
        and the gross violations of human rights it has committed in 
        Ukraine such as targeting civilians, destroying critical 
        civilian infrastructure related to energy and health care, and 
        using torture and sexual violence as weapons of war; and
            (9) calls on President Biden to direct all departments and 
        agencies to support the International Criminal Court's 
        investigation and prosecution of atrocity crimes committed in 
        Ukraine, including those related to the Russian Federation's 
        unlawful transfer and deportation of children.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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