Title: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the boycott of certain companies that continue to operate in Russia and provide financial benefits to the Putin regime.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution supports and encourages Americans who choose to exercise their free speech rights by boycotting companies that do not provide life-saving or health-related goods and services to the Russian people yet continue to operate in Russia.
The resolution also condemns companies that continue to operate in Russia and provide financial benefits to the Putin regime that enable his ability to continue waging war in Ukraine.
Finally, the resolution commends companies that have already suspended operations in or withdrawn from markets in Russia in response to the Putin regime's unlawful invasion of Ukraine.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1040 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1040

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
  boycott of certain companies that continue to operate in Russia and 
            provide financial benefits to the Putin regime.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 6, 2022

 Mr. Levin of Michigan (for himself, Mr. Keating, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. 
  Quigley, Mr. Carson, Mr. Cicilline, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New 
    York, Ms. Newman, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Sherrill, and Mr. Trone) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
  boycott of certain companies that continue to operate in Russia and 
            provide financial benefits to the Putin regime.

Whereas, on February 24, 2022, the Government of Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, 
        invaded the sovereign country of Ukraine under the direction of the 
        President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin;
Whereas, on March 6, 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the 
        United States has seen credible reports of Russia engaging in 
        ``deliberate attacks on civilians, which would constitute a war crime'';
Whereas, as of April 6, 2022, according to the United Nations, Russia's invasion 
        of Ukraine has caused at least 3,776 civilian casualties and forced more 
        than 4,278,000 refugees to flee Ukraine, with estimates likely severely 
        undercounting the actual toll;
Whereas, on March 16, 2022, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy urged ``All American 
        companies must leave Russia . . . leave their market immediately, 
        because it is flooded with [Ukrainian] blood'';
Whereas in the same speech, President Zelenskyy called on Congress to lead by 
        pressuring companies ``who finance the Russian military machine'' and 
        conduct ``business in Russia'' and to ``make sure that the Russians do 
        not receive a single penny that they use to destroy people in Ukraine'';
Whereas Jeffrey Sonnenfeld of the Yale School of Management has compiled a list 
        of some 600 companies which have withdrawn permanently or temporarily 
        from Russia as of April 6, 2022;
Whereas according to the same Yale database, some 33 companies form a ``hall of 
        shame'' by refusing to exit Russia or reduce their business activities 
        there;
Whereas by refusing to reduce, cease, or withdraw operations in Russia, these 
        companies contribute to undermining the sanctions imposed by the United 
        States and its allies that are intended to deter further Russian 
        aggression; and
Whereas a number of United States and multinational companies that do business 
        in Russia do not provide life-saving or health-related goods and 
        services to the Russian people and contribute to Putin's ability to wage 
        war in Ukraine and continue to commit war crimes by providing revenue 
        for the Russian Government: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports and encourages Americans who choose to 
        exercise their free speech rights by boycotting companies that 
        do not provide life-saving or health-related goods and services 
        to the Russian people yet continue to operate in Russia;
            (2) condemns companies that continue to operate in Russia 
        and provide financial benefits to the Putin regime that enable 
        his ability to continue waging war in Ukraine; and
            (3) commends companies that have already suspended 
        operations in or withdrawn from markets in Russia in response 
        to the Putin regime's unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
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