Four years ago, on December 13, 2014, the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 was approved by both chambers of Congress. The Senate unanimously passed the bill (S. 2828) on December 13, and a similar bill (H.R. 5859) was passed on December 11 by the House of Representatives.
The bill became law on December 18, 2014, when it was signed by President Barack Obama, who said his administration would continue to work closely with allies and partners in Europe and beyond to respond to developments in Ukraine and would continue to review and calibrate U.S. sanctions in response to Russia’s actions.
Mr. Obama called on Russia to end its occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea, cease its support to militants in eastern Ukraine and implement its obligations under the Minsk agreements.
Even in the months following the Revolution of Dignity, passage of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act was no easy feat. Advocacy efforts coordinated by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS), and its Ukrainian Days events, were instrumental in mobilizing the Ukrainian American community to meet with their respective elected officials. These events were promoted and detailed in The Ukrainian Weekly.
In the House, Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) introduced the bill, which was co-sponsored by Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio). It was reviewed by the Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Oversight and Government Reform, and Judiciary committees.
In the Senate, Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) sponsored the bill with 14 co-sponsors: Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Daniel Coats (R-Ind.), Mark Steven Kirk (R-Ill.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).
The law directed the president to impose three or more specified sanctions against Russian defense company Rosoboronexport and sanctions against persons that knowingly make significant investment in a special Russian crude oil project, as well as Russian state-owned gas monopoly Gazprom.
The sanctions against individuals and companies targeted the import-export sector, arms and dual-use item exports, U.S. property transactions, banking transactions, investment in or purchasing equity or debt instruments, and U.S. entry prohibition or visa revocation.
Since fiscal year 2015, advocacy efforts for a military component of assistance to Ukraine (both lethal and nonlethal) have been promoted through the House and Senate Armed Services Committees with a focus on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is reviewed and renewed annually. For 2015, the NDAA proposed $140 million in economic assistance for Ukraine; $47 million for Foreign Military Financing; and as much as $50s million to combat Russian aggression in the region.
The FY 2018 NDAA authorized $350 million in security assistance, including weapons and equipment, training and technical assistance, as well as continuing care and rehabilitation services for Ukraine’s recovering soldiers, and education and training for its health-care specialists. It was the first time that assistance was provided to bolster Ukraine’s naval capabilities. The administration originally proposed $150 million in assistance.
The FY 2019 NDAA, signed by President Donald Trump on August 13 authorized $250 million in security assistance to Ukraine.
Source: “Congress passes Ukraine Freedom Support Act; Obama signs bill, but says no, for now, to new sanctions,” Ukrainian National Information Service, The Ukrainian Weekly, December 21, 2014.