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Munich Security Conference
Madam President, the Senator from Texas was in Munich at the security conference. It was such an inspiring get-together. Leaders from all over Europe and from many parts of the world all came together and were virtually unanimous in their opinion that this aggression by Vladimir Putin needed to be stopped and we needed to do everything in our power, either through NATO or other alliances and friendships, to show our solidarity.
I thank the Senator from Texas for his statements.
What a sharp contrast in leadership last week. First, Presidents Biden and Zelenskyy, together in Kyiv, standing resolutely in the face of Russian aggression.
President Biden went to neighboring Poland, where he told an enthusiastic crowd of thousands:
One year ago, the world was bracing for the fall of Kyiv. .
. . I can report: Kyiv stands strong. Kyiv stands proud. It stands tall, and most important, it stands free.
That was a statement by President Biden visiting Poland. He vowed the United States and its allies will never waiver in their support of Ukraine and that NATO will not be divided, and we will not tire. I couldn't agree more with President Biden.
The same sentiments were on display at this Munich security summit that I referenced. Nearly 30 of my Senate colleagues joined us in this international conference. It was a bipartisan show of unity and resolve, with both Senator Schumer--the Democrat leader of the Senate--
and Senator McConnell--the Republican leader of the Senate--urging sustained determined support for Ukraine against Russian tyranny.
Compare these messages of transatlantic and bipartisan unity to the rambling set of manufactured grievances delivered at nearly the same time by the Russian war criminal, Vladimir Putin. The contrast could not have been starker.
Many Russian officials in attendance at Putin's speech sat stone-
faced. Some even dozed off. They may have wondered what kind of nightmare had befallen the Russian people in the pursuit of one man's murderous folly.
Following the Munich Security Conference, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, of New Hampshire, and I had the opportunity to visit the former Soviet-
dominated countries of Georgia and Romania. Both nations remember Russian tyranny all too well and have spent their decades of independence working to be part of the transatlantic community of democracies.
Georgia suffered most recently at the hands of Russian imperialism when Putin militarily seized 20 percent of the land mass of Georgia, territory still occupied illegally by the Russians today.
Georgia has so much talent and so much potential. The overwhelming majority of the people in that country see their future in Europe and the West. The Georgia military has worked closely with the United States, and we have strong cooperative relations on a wide range of issues.
It is my hope that Georgia will continue its path toward the European Union and eventual NATO membership. That is for the Georgians to decide, but I believe they would be valuable allies of the NATO alliance.
It has some serious issues to resolve, incidentally. Georgia is still facing some political questions, which the world is watching closely, and a few potentially self-inflicted setbacks to avoid, such as the proposed law on disclosure by nongovernmental organizations--a step, I am afraid, that is backward for a nation aspiring to freedom. But with the right political will and vision, these issues can be overcome in a way that ensures a better and more secure future for the Georgian people.
In the same Black Sea region, Senator Shaheen and I visited Romania--
my first time--the Eastern European nation already firmly in the EU and NATO. What a NATO ally it is. We stopped at MK Air Base in eastern Romania, where thousands of U.S. soldiers from the legendary 101st Airborne are stationed. They are the U.S. military forces closest to the fight in Ukraine.
Nearby, we could see rows of grain ships departing Ukraine and occupied Crimea only a short distance away. That vital commerce in such a strategic area is a reminder of the importance of advancing Senators Shaheen and Romney's bipartisan legislation to establish a U.S.-Black Sea regional strategy, legislation which I have cosponsored.
Senator Shaheen and I had a chance to speak to the brave Americans serving in Romania in defense of NATO. I am proud to say--and I hope my colleague hears this too, and I am sure she will--from the home State of Illinois, we had soldiers from Danville, Forest Park, Chicago Ridge, and even Red Bud, IL--downstate--and many more. But we got to meet and have lunch with those soldiers.
We also had the chance to speak with Romanian Prime Minister Ciuca, who was clear-eyed both on the threat of Russian aggression and Romania's proud role in the larger battle. He also understood the threat Russia poses to the neighboring democracy of Moldova, where Russia already occupies some of their territory. Because of this, President Biden also met with Moldovan President Sandu while in Poland and reaffirmed strong U.S. support for her country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which I also want to reiterate here on the Senate floor.
Many of my colleagues here today know that my mother left as a little girl from Russian-occupied Lithuania many years ago. She barely would recognize today's vibrant and free member of the EU and NATO from the country she left behind. Later this year, Lithuania will host a historic NATO summit, by which time I hope we have added Finland and Sweden to the alliance.
That thriving, peaceful, democratic future is what the Ukrainian people are still fighting for and what we must continue to support to make sure that Ukraine is secure in the future.
mobility legislation
Madam President, I would like to start today by sharing a story about the value of U.S. foreign assistance.
As my colleagues in the Senate know, U.S. foreign assistance makes up less than 1 percent of the Federal budget. And yet, it can yield millions in returns--both financially and in lives saved--by making our world safer, healthier, and more stable. It also reflects our values as Americans. Just look at the immediate offer of assistance to Turkey following its recent catastrophic earthquake. That was the right thing to do.
Sometimes, even the simplest of tools can make all the difference: mosquito nets, paste made from peanuts, and even bicycles. One NGO based in Chicago, IL, World Bicycle Relief, has distributed more than 600,000 bicycles around the world as of last year. These bicycles have helped girls in Malawi get to and from school safely, aid workers in Colombia distribute food and clean water during the COVID-19 pandemic, and farmers in Zambia make milk deliveries.
Stories like these are common around the world, showing the value of a simple, relatively inexpensive, ``green,'' and easy-to-repair means of mobility that helps meet important development objectives. I have seen myself how a bicycle ambulance in rural Tanzania can change lives, and not long ago my staff saw World Bicycle Relief's efforts in Kenya, where nearly 50,000 sustainable rugged bicycles have been provided. These bikes are uniquely designed for their local environments. Community members are trained to maintain them with minimal and locally sourced parts, keeping them sustainable and creating jobs.
Since 2019, I have worked through the Appropriations Committee to push USAID to invest in bicycles and study how to make the programs locally sustainable. USAID has used these lessons and opportunities with increasing success, thanks to the work of so many dedicated groups around the world, including World Bicycle Relief.
This month, I introduced legislation with Representative Blumenauer in the House that will codify these important efforts and formalize the creation of a mobility program within USAID's Office of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment. I look forward to seeing this bill enacted one day, to help lock in the incredible progress that can be made with even small investments and the simplest of tools, such as a bicycle.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Hirono). The Senator from Illinois.
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 169, No. 37
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
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