H. Res. 499 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
March 11, 2014. 
Whereas the United States has been strongly committed to 
the sovereignty, democratic development, and prosperity 
of Ukraine since it secured its independence from the So-
viet Union in 1991; 
Whereas on January 29, 2014, the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives agreed to House 
Resolution 447, supporting the democratic and European 
aspirations of the people of Ukraine and their right to 
choose their own future free of intimidation and fear, 
which resolution was agreed to by the House of Rep-
resentatives on February 10, 2014; 
Whereas the Ukrainian people have the right to freely deter-
mine their future, including their country’s relationship 
with other countries and international organizations, 
without interference, intimidation, or coercion by other 
countries; 
Whereas closer relations with Europe hold out the prospect 
of a more stable and prosperous Ukraine, which would be 
of benefit to all countries, including Russia; 
Whereas the military intervention by the Russian Federation 
in Crimea is a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, inde-
pendence, and territorial integrity;
•HRES 499 EH 
Whereas this military intervention is a violation of inter-
national law, including the Russian Federation’s obliga-
tions under the United Nations Charter; 
Whereas this military intervention is a violation of the Rus-
sian Federation’s obligations under the 1994 Budapest 
Memorandum on Security Assurances, in which it 
pledged to respect the independence and sovereignty and 
the existing borders of Ukraine and to refrain from the 
threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or 
political independence of Ukraine; 
Whereas by its military intervention in Ukraine, the Russian 
Federation has violated the provisions of the Helsinki 
Final Act Declaration of Principles Regarding Relations 
Between Participating States of the Organization for Se-
curity and Cooperation in Europe; 
Whereas the Russian Federation’s military intervention in 
Crimea represents a reckless escalation of its long-stand-
ing efforts to pressure Ukraine through political, diplo-
matic, and economic means to reduce its ties to Europe 
and the West and force it into a closer association with 
Russia, including through the establishment of a Eur-
asian Union; 
Whereas the Russian Federation has used and is continuing 
to use coercive economic measures, including the manipu-
lation of energy prices and supplies, and trade restric-
tions to place political pressure on Ukraine and other 
countries in the region; 
Whereas the Government of Ukraine has exercised extraor-
dinary restraint to date in response to the use of force 
against it on its territory;
•HRES 499 EH 
Whereas the instability in Ukraine has forced 230 Peace 
Corps volunteers to leave Ukraine; and 
Whereas the immediate deployment of international monitors 
from either the Organization for Security and Coopera-
tion in Europe or the United Nations to Crimea and in 
other Ukrainian regions would provide transparency and 
objective reporting regarding threats of violence and mili-
tary activity, and regarding civil and political rights, and 
also enhance the security of the Ukrainian people in all 
regions: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) condemns the violation of Ukrainian sov-
ereignty, independence, and territorial integrity by mili-
tary forces of the Russian Federation; 
(2) states that the military intervention by the Rus-
sian Federation— 
(A) is in breach of its obligations under the 
United Nations Charter; 
(B) is in violation of the 1994 Budapest 
Memorandum on Security Assurances, in which it 
pledged to respect the independence and sovereignty 
and the existing borders of Ukraine and to refrain 
from the threat of use of force against the terri-
torial integrity or political independence of Ukraine; 
and 
(C) poses a threat to international peace and 
security;
•HRES 499 EH 
(3) calls on the Russian Federation to remove all of 
its military forces from Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, 
other than those operating in strict accordance with its 
1997 agreement on the Status and Conditions of the 
Black Sea Fleet Stationing on the Territory of Ukraine, 
and to refrain from interference in all regions of 
Ukraine, including by ending its support of separatist 
and paramilitary forces in Crimea; 
(4) declares that the Ukrainian people have the 
right to determine their own future free from outside in-
terference; 
(5) commends the Ukrainian Government for its 
continued restraint and avoidance of military provo-
cations; 
(6) calls on the Ukrainian Government to continue 
to protect the rights of all minority populations within 
Ukraine and make clear that it represents all Ukrainian 
citizens; 
(7) calls on all Ukrainians to respect the legitimate 
government authorities in all parts of Ukraine, including 
in eastern and southern Ukraine, as well as to respect 
all Ukrainian laws and the Constitution of Ukraine; 
(8) calls for the deployment of independent mon-
itors from the Organization for Security and Coopera-
tion in Europe in Crimea and other areas of Ukraine;
•HRES 499 EH 
(17) supports efforts by Ukraine to improve trans-
parency, combat corruption, and protect individual rights 
through an independent judiciary and strong rule of law; 
and 
(18) affirms the right of all countries in the region 
to exercise their sovereign rights within their inter-
nationally recognized borders free from outside interven-
tion and to conduct their foreign policy in accordance 
with their determination of the best interests of their 
peoples. 
Attest: 
Clerk.