For decades, the Ukrainian American community has been working arduously to bring awareness and achieve recognition of the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian nation. On March 14, Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), co-chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, introduced a resolution (S. Res. 435) to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933. The resolution recognizes the draconian treatment of the Ukrainian population during the Holodomor and condemns this act perpetrated by Joseph Stalin and the Soviet government.
The Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) urges members of the Ukrainian American community to contact their senators and urge them to co-sponsor S. Res. 435. The resolution already has the following co-sponsors: Sens. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). Below, please find a sample letter. Contact information for your senator may be obtained at: http://www.senate.gov.
Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact UNIS at 202-547-0018 or [email protected].
SAMPLE LETTER
The Honorable (First Name, Last Name)
United States SenateWashington, DC 20510
Dear Senator (Last Name):
I was recently informed the U.S. Senate introduced S. Res. 435, a resolution that commemorates the 85th anniversary of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide (Holodomor) of 1932-1933. Perpetrated by the Soviet government, the Ukrainian Holodomor claimed the lives of 7 million innocent Ukrainian men, women and children as a means to reduce their independent tendencies and aspirations for nationhood.
It is important that the memory of these innocent victims does not vanish. Knowledge of the horrors suffered by the Ukrainian nation will serve as a constant reminder that the free world cannot rest as long as there exist oppressive regimes. It is our duty to prevent similar genocides from happening ever again. As your constituent, I respectfully urge you to support S. Res. 435 and add your name as a co-sponsor. While Ukraine remembers the Holodomor, the world must acknowledge its atrocities!
Sincerely,
(Your name)