In the News

Yesterday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed H.R. 596, the Crimea Annexation Non-recognition Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Steve Chabot (R-OH) that would prohibit federal agencies from taking any action that recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea. The legislation was previously introduced in the 115th, 114th, and 113th Congresses and currently has 23 cosponsors.

“Russia’s forcible and illegal annexation of Crimea has sent shockwaves throughout the former Soviet-occupied territories, many of whom are now NATO allies, including the Baltic States,” said Rep. Connolly. “Failure to stand up against Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea will set a dangerous and irrevocable precedent.”

“The United States should never recognize Vladimir Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea and his illicit claims to sovereignty over it,” Chabot said. “I am proud to lead this legislation with Mr. Connolly which sets a definitive policy to prohibit the United States from treating the Crimean Peninsula as part of Russia. This legislation is one clear step toward countering Putin’s Crimean landgrab.”

“There is a bipartisan and international consensus that many of us have worked hard to establish in combatting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and we heard that consensus loud and clear from both Democrats and Republicans,” added Connolly. “Our legislation makes clear that Congress will continue to stand with Crimea.”

The FY 2016-FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Acts included similar language to this bill, prohibiting Department of Defense funds from being used on any action that recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea. This Connolly-Chabot legislation would apply that prohibition to the federal government writ-large.

Text of the legislation is available here.